


Omega

by AlyWolfe28



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alive Hale Family, Alpha Derek, Alpha Deucalion (Teen Wolf), Good Peter, Isaac Feels, Original Character(s), Sassy Peter, Werewolf Mates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-08
Updated: 2018-03-07
Packaged: 2019-03-28 11:40:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 32
Words: 67,753
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13903269
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlyWolfe28/pseuds/AlyWolfe28
Summary: "You can't have everything, Luna!" "Please, Derek, don't make me choose," I begged. "I just did," He growled in response, his eyes beginning to turn red. "Luna...?" Isaac mumbled, sounding like he was a puppy that I just left on the side of the road. Tears streamed down my face, "I'm sorry. I... I can't." That was when I made the worst decision of my life.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This was a story I wrote years ago about Teen Wolf. After recently making an account on here I thought I would share it here for anyone still reading Teen Wolf even though its over.

I ran. I didn't know where I was going or how to get there, I just kept running. 

I had finally broken free and I was not about to let myself be dragged back into misery. I never wanted to see him again. 

I had a nagging suspicion that my dream wouldn't come true but I push that to the back of my mind, letting the flow of adrenaline, vigor, and most of all hope, surge through my body, allowing me to fly through the woods with grace.

Dodging trees, jumping boulders, flipping over vines in the ground that seemed to jump out and grab my ankles, wanting to suck me into their depths and hold me prisoner. 

He haunts my mind, every minute of every day. Even in my sleep I dream of the horrible things he had done to me. The pain he had inflicted upon me, and the behavior he had burned so deeply into my mind it would stay forever. 

I wasn't always this way. There was a time when I was strong and confident. A time when I cared about myself. But, he ruined that. He ruined me. Taught me that I was nothing more than a worthless toy he liked to play with. Now I was nothing. I was no longer in control of my mind or body. I am a true Omega. 

A twig snapped a few yards behind me and I knew they were catching up. I knew Ian couldn't hold them off for long... They were stronger, faster, and a hell of a lot smarter than me. In minutes I knew I'd be a goner. I've never run from him before. He won't take it lightly. I won't get a little lecture and get away with it because I've never done it before. No. He will make sure that I writhe in pain for countless hours, screaming for a savior I know will never come to my rescue. He'll make sure I'll never want to run again. I never can run again.

A branch fell off of a tree. Well more like someone ripped it off and a loud growl broke through the silent night. The thought of what might be following me shook me to the bone. I was scared out of my mind but this drive only pushed me harder, faster. 

The elements seemed to not be in my favor as lighting cracked across the sky followed by booming thunder. Then it opened up and poured. I was soaked within seconds. 

Normally, this type of weather could've helped me in a chase, but right now, I was the prey. 

I could feel them closing in on me. Quickly figuring out there was 5 of them and 1 of me. I won’t be getting away tonight. 

I stopped by a big oak, my whole being shaking like a leaf. My legs threatened to collapse under me. Their deafening snarls and menacing growls made me swallow thickly before backing up into the tree. 

Closing my eyes, I soon felt his hot breath on my face. A small whimper rose in my throat as I desperately wanted to make myself invisible. 

"Thought you could run, eh?" He snarled, and I shook my head, only earning me a hard slap. I yelped out in pain as his hard knuckles connected with my already bruised face, sending me to the ground. 

Like a bear trap, my hands were caught in a rope and lifted so high my feet left the ground, bringing me face to face with the battle scarred Beta. "Very disappointing you know. How you corrupted the young Alpha. His daddy is not very happy..." He drawled in his Scottish accent. 

"The price is high for what you've done. Running like a scared little girl. Oh, but that's right," - his hard fist connected with my gut almost causing me to throw up - "you are a just a stupid," - another hit - "worthless," - and again - "little girl."

I was coughing up blood at this point but he wasn't done. "And now you’re going to pay for your sins, little girl," my head shot up as he pulled out a knife. I cried and begged for mercy but he ignored me, continuing to slice through the thin fabric on my legs. 

This was always the worst part. The part I could never emotionally handle. A scream ripped out of my throat as I cried for my unknown savior. He put his hand over my mouth and I was dragged into yet another session of misery...


	2. .01

Derek’s POV…

I slammed on the brakes, causing Isaac to hit the dashboard and Erica to slam her head into the back of my seat. 

"Ow! What the hell, Derek?!" They both groaned in unison, clutching their heads. I shushed them, listening for the sound again.

"Did either of you hear that?" I whispered. Isaac pulled his brows together and looked at me quizzically. Looking in the rearview mirror I saw that Erica mimicked him. "You two are about as useful as a scarecrow in a vegetable garden," I muttered under my breath.

"What do you think you heard?" Isaac asked me as I put the car in park, stepping out.

"A scream... A bloodcurdling scream..." I murmured and Isaac was taken aback. I lifted my chin into the air, closing my eyes and listening to everything around me. The wind blowing through the trees, the critters rustling in the bushes, a branch slowly breaking off an oak, and the car parked – but still running - 5 miles down on this desolate road. 

My eyes shot open and I got back into my car. Isaac watched with a curious look. "There's a car down this road," was all I said. Erica huffed but shut up after I shot her 'the' look. The 'I'm the Alpha and I make the decisions so shut up and deal' look. 

I was surprised to find the car empty. As I followed their scent, the first thing I noticed is that they were wolves. As I neared the end of the trail, soft sobbing filled my ears. I listened harder but almost fell to the ground as a loud, sinister laugh vibrated in my head, bouncing around my brain like a cricket. It gave me a headache for a minute.

That's when the strong scent of blood hit all of us. I ducked behind some thick shrubbery and motioned for my beta's to follow suit. 

"It won’t be long now, Doll Face," A deep, sadistic, Scottish accent reached my sensitive hearing. "You'll be dead by the time the moon rises," I saw him run his claws down a girl's jawline. She was hanging by her wrists on a tree limb. She looked beaten. I assume it’s the same one I heard earlier... 

"What the hell...?" Isaac murmured. I smacked his arm, giving him my 'shut the hell up' look. But it was too late. 

"Who's there?!" I stepped out of the bushes calmly. "Who the fuck are you?" 

I tsked, "Now that's not a very nice word." 

He growled at me, turning into his wolf. He was formidable opponent I will admit, but... I'm an Alpha. His eyes widened when he realized this fact and his little gang went running with their tails tucked between their legs. He looked back at the girl, who was now unconscious, hanging from a tree limb by her wrists with only a grimy grey shirt that just barely covered her. I could see Isaac and Erica slinking their way through the trees. Looking from me to the girl and back again, he took off after his pack mates with a huff. 

"Isaac," he looked to me, “check her pulse," one side of his upper lip rose in disgust as he presses his two fingers to the bloodied girls neck. 

"It’s there," he stated, "but its weak."

"Well then let’s get her to Deaton. Cut her loose, Erica."

A snide sneer crossed Erica's lips, "Gladly," slicing her nails straight through the rope. I could see in her face she was hoping for the girl to fall. Erica has been worrying me lately with her devious thoughts. 

Luckily for me, Isaac caught the girl and an odd emotion passed in his eyes. One that I had only seen once from him, and I still wasn't quite sure what it was. 

I quickly took my jacket off, wrapping the girl in it. Erica narrowed her eyes at me as I rolled mine at her. 

"Isaac, you’re on ... whatever her name is, duty."

"What?! Why me?!" He shouted disbelieving me. 

"Because I'm not having Erica carry her and I have to drive," I hissed, making Isaac lower his head but grumble out his frustration. 

When we got to the car, Isaac held the girl in the back seat while Erica slid into the passenger seat, a sly grin on her face. Rolling my eyes again, I started the car, heading for Deaton's. 

I studied Isaac in the rearview mirror. When he zoned out I saw him stroke the girl's hair but once he realized he was doing it he stopped. He took long looks at her dirty face also, different emotions flickering in his eyes. 

Just as I was about to pull up to the clinic, I looked back at Isaac and immediately pressed harder on the pedal. His eyes were as wide as a deer in headlights and his face has become ashen. "Derek..." He whispered. 

"I know," I growled my reply. Erica made a triumphant little sound next to me and I shot her a glare. The girl was dying.

When I pulled into the clinic, Isaac was out of the car before the tires had even stopped. He ran inside with the girl and I was close behind. Erica could care less so I told her to stay in the car and keep on the lookout. For what I didn't really care.

To my surprise, even with as late as it was, Scott was there. Oh great, I do not need him questioning me right now... 

It was storming outside so Isaac and I were drenched by the time we got in the clinic. Deaton caught sight of Isaac's panicked face and immediately caught on. 

"Put her on the table Isaac," he directed, to which Isaac obeyed. I stood on the side of the room with my arms crossed, watching Deaton as I tried to keep my cool. Isaac stumbled up next to me. He looked shell shocked.

"I just had a girl, who I don't even know, die. In my arms," He gulped. I put a calming hand on his shoulder which actually seemed to calm me more than it did him as Deaton jammed a syringe into her heart, making her body jump.

"Who is she, Derek?" Scott questioned me. I could tell by his tone there were more questions to come. 

"Not now, Scott, please. I found her in the woods and saved her. That's it," he didn't look convinced but he shut up none the less. 

I let out a pained breath and slid down the wall to sit on the floor, putting my head between my legs and my entwined hands resting on my knees. Isaac slid down next to me and asked the question I'd been dreading all night.

"What now?"


	3. .02

By the time Deaton finished with the girl, Scott left, Isaac fell asleep on my shoulder and Erica was asleep with the radio on in the car. 

"Maybe you should go home. Your crew seems to be tired," Deaton told me referring to Erica and Isaac. 

I passed a glance at the mysterious girl then looked up at Deaton. He sighed, "She'll be asleep for a while…" he paused, "She's in bad shape, Derek. Whatever happened to her has happened more than once. She's almost lathered in Wolfsbane, and..." he trailed off but I kept my eyes trained on him, "She's lost her ability to heal quickly. She heals but... about five times slower than you," I sucked in a sharp breath. This was the last thing I wanted to hear. Why can’t you just lie to me, Deaton? 

"Because then you would complain about not being informed," he countered. Shit did I just say that out loud? "Yes, you did," I narrowed my eyes at him but he only smiled good naturedly. 

Shaking Isaac awake, I stood up, stretching my cramped muscles and looking at the girl once more. Something clicked in my head but I couldn't quite place it. Something made a connection but to what, I didn't know. "Let's go, Ike," I nudged him when I noticed he was staring at her too. He ducked his head and followed me to the car. 

Isaac crawled into the back, happy to lie down as I turned off the radio and tried to be quiet as not to wake the wicked witch from her beauty sleep. 

Isaac had fallen asleep again by the time we made it to the station. He had school in the morning so I didn't want to wake him again. I simply turned off the car, put my chair back and slept with them. And what a horrific sleep it was.


	4. .03

Girl’s POV…

Lightning cracked above my head and thunder boomed across the sky. I jumped upright only to find I had a needle in my hand. I could tell it was attached to something but my vision was blurry. I cried out in fright as lightning struck and thunder cracked again. My senses were damaged. I couldn't really see or smell but my hearing was sharp. Always the sense I wish I never had. 

A soothing man's voice called to me over the storm. I might have been relaxed by it but the storm scared me too much. Too many memories. 

The cracking of the whip like thunder. 

The blinding of fire like lightning. 

I was plagued with memories of my endless screaming, begging, and pleading. Too many sounds cluttered my weak mind and I didn't know what was real anymore. Then again, even in a different state I never did.

I didn't want to be here. All I wanted was to be alone; left alone.

I heard a beeping noise that seemed to be in time with my heart. It rose steadily as the table under me dissipated and the air around me grew thick. Somewhere in the chaos I could hear his deep, sickening chuckle; daring me to defy.

An agonizing scream was ripped from my lungs as the cold metal prick of a needle dug into the soft flesh of my arm. It traveled up my veins, seeking its destination to my heart. I could feel it spread to everywhere in my body. I knew only pain would be the effect; searing, blinding, agonizing pain. Please, I begged, not again... 

I knew I was fading fast. I couldn't feel anything but my muscles forcibly relaxing and my mind coaxing me back into the darkness that had been my savior for so long. 

My fear evaporated and my eyes drooped shut. The calm voice reached me again but I was beyond help. Maybe he'll let me die this time... I doubt it. You’re his play thing. Your only purpose in life is to serve an Alpha. 

I whimpered. I knew The Voice was right. I knew I was worthless. But it didn't feel the same... I felt as if I was in a different place. 

A place away from the pain. Away from the torture. Away from my own misery and agony. 

But I know it’s too good to be true. I know it’s just Him playing tricks on me. I could never have such a thing. Not me. A worthless Omega.


	5. .04

Derek’s POV…

"No Isaac."

"Come on!"

"I said no," I growled. He paused, probably thinking of something to use against me, and damn did he pick a good one. It almost worked.

"You seem to have forgotten that she died in my lap last night."

"But she's alive," I countered.

"I should at least get to see her," he narrowed his eyes at me, his tone indicating he wasn't giving up anytime soon. 

"Fine," I caved and he wore a triumphant smile, "But your still going to school," and gone. 

"Fine," He bargained. 

After dropping Erica and Boyd off, I headed to the Clinic. As per usual, no one was there. 

Something was off about Isaac. He was radiating excitement but his eyes were nervous. And then I saw it again. That little flicker of emotion he usually only gets when his father is brought into the conversation. 

"Ike... You alright?" I asked him as we got out. 

Avoiding my eyes, he nodded, "Yup."

I raised one eyebrow but he didn't see. The bell above our heads rang when we walked in. Deaton came out with his usual friendly greeting but when he saw it was us, his whole demeanor changed. 

Tilting his head slightly to his exam room he said, "Follow me," Isaac and I exchanged worried glances. Something was up and by the way his atmosphere dramatically changed, I'm guessing it’s not good. 

"Last night, I didn't have a chance to see the ... extent of her injuries," Deaton started as we walked, "Also she hurt herself more by waking up in the middle of the night and going straight into a panic attack once she heard the storm. There's something about storms... She went crazy. She's so afraid of them that when she hears the thunder she cries out like she's been hit."

"A memory maybe?" Isaac tried to conclude, seeing as he could relate. Deaton gave him a grim look.

"A pretty painful one."

Walking into the room everything about her hit me. I immediately knew why she was so afraid, "She's an Omega."

Deaton eyes widened knowingly but Isaac didn't understand. "How did you know that? And what does it mean?"

"It means she's going to be extremely afraid," Deaton looked between the two of us, "of both of you." 

A soft sound escaped her throat and we all spun around to look at her. Without opening her eyes, she clutched her head. Isaac shifted his feet, his sneakers squeaking on the waxed floor. I groaned inwardly, knowing what was about to go down. 

She froze, slowly bracing herself on the table as she opened her eyes. Her heart sped up at the sight of us. I couldn't see her eyes very well as her still damp hair hung in front of them. I could only see the movement of her pupils. She swallowed thickly and her eyes flickered around the room, looking for an escape route. Her body shuttered when she found I was standing in front of it. Isaac took a step forward before Deaton or I could stop him. 

She immediately jumped from the table, slipping around to the back of it like she was ready to pick it up and use it as a weapon. Looking at her body I knew she couldn't weigh more than 100 pounds. Isaac sucked in a sharp, pained breath at the sight of her anorexic-like state. 

Adrenaline pumped through her veins, blocking out the pain. She stood still but far from relaxed. She was jumpy, flighty and absolutely mortified. "Who are you?" She barked, trying to sound strong but she couldn't hide the whimper that came with it. "His friend? A rival pack? What do you want with me?" Her voice lowered to a pained whisper on her last question. 

"I'm Derek. We," I gestured to Isaac and Deaton, "found you in the woods and rescued you. Your safe now," I tried to smile and I saw Isaac bite back a laugh at my attempt. I stepped hard on his foot in response. He masked his yelp with a yawn.

"You’re an Alpha," She whispered, almost sounding possessed. And then I thought it was over. Her eyes flickered to the window and man for an injured Omega she sure could move. 

Now was about the point in time I could've hugged Isaac. He read her aura and once her attention had been on me, he moved. He grabbed her by the waist and constricted his other arm around her body. She struggled like hell but he's a lot stronger than she is. He softly cooed in her ear and she almost looked like she wanted to calm down. 

Although she remained stiff and rigid with fright, she stopped struggling. Isaac continued to coo her regardless. "You’re alright, its ok. Nobody's going to hurt you. Your safe," his voice was actually very methodical. 

"Good work, Isaac," Deaton praised him. Isaac glanced up at him but didn't stop cooing the girl or change his stance. 

When Isaac felt she was ok, he loosened his grip but rested his hands on her hips, making sure he could constrict her again at a moment's notice. She looked me straight in the eye with her chin up. She flipped her fringe out of her eyes and my mind clicked again. Finally I figured it out. Those speckled blue gray eyes were hard to forget. Memories flooded back to me, ending with me calling out her name in the fire. 

"Luna?"


	6. .05

Isaac plopped down next to me with a sigh, "Since when do you smoke?"

"Since when do you give a shit?" I snapped back, sounding harsh and vicious, "Sorry..." I mumbled.

"It’s fine. I get it..." he grumbled kicking a rock. I sighed, blowing out smoke. "Who is Luna?" He asked softly, as if afraid of the answer.

I took another drag and puffed it out in rings. I saw Isaac smile a bit with a curiously excited glint in his eyes but he wiped it off quickly. I stamped out the cigarette. "My mother..." I started, "used to look at all the kids up for fostering and adoption in order to save young wolves and prevent human losses. 

"She came across a girl... her father was in an Asylum and her mother was in protective custody. Basically... No one could know about the kid. They even gave her a fake name, but my mother didn't know that until years later. From her name and the way she acted my mother truly believed she was a wolf..."

"She wasn't, was she?" Isaac finished. 

"No," I huffed. "No she wasn't. 

"Being a wolf as a kid I really had no friends. Luna was always so giddy and playful that it was almost impossible to turn her down. She made up the funniest games and everyone just thought she was the most adorable, childish girl ever. She was so immature.

"We ended up developing... a relationship. She understood me and I trusted her. A few years before the fire... we were inseparable. We knew each other better than we knew ourselves.

"We had started fighting though when I got intimate with Kate," I shuttered a little, remembering that cold hearted bitch.

"The day of the fire... my mother had gotten the news that Luna's father had broken out and may or may not be looking for her. He wasn't stupid or dysfunctional crazy, he was a sociopath. Or at least, that's what he was written off as. She kept Luna home that day, hoping our family could keep her safe. 

"That was also the night my mother planned to turn her. It was her... birthday present. Her sweet 16 actually.

"When Laura and I came home to see the house on fire... I lost it," the sting was present in the back of my throat as my eyes watered. I had to hold them back. I would not cry in front of Isaac.

"I pretty much lost my mind. I went into the fire and called her name... I almost died from smoke inhalation looking for her. 

"Not only was my family gone but my best friend was too. And I regretted it so much because our last words to each other were, 'I hate you.' We were having a fight again and she had actually thrown a vase at me," Isaac's eyes widened slightly and I almost wanted to chuckle at the memory of the most calm girl I've ever met trying to be violent.

"I remember grabbing her wrists and pinning her against the wall to growl and snarl in her face. She was never afraid of my wolf. Even when I couldn't control him. There was something about her... my mother always believed she was going to be an Alpha one day. 

"When I went to school that morning she was crying in her room. And every word that came out of her mouth was about me. And let me tell you none of them were very nice."

Isaac sat silently, processing everything. "You lived with that guilty conscience ever since..." He mused and I nodded, wiping my face with my jacket sleeve.

"I only smoke when I get stressed out or angry or I feel emotions I don't like to deal with. It clouds my mind... I only got into the habit after the fire," he nodded, understanding my reasoning.

"Laura made me realize a few years later that I had loved Luna; I still love Luna. But... she doesn't remember me," I sucked in a shaky breath, "and because I'm an Alpha... she's even more afraid of me. She seems to be pretty attached to you though..." I grumbled. 

He smiled and nudged my arm, "I promise I won’t steal your girl. Isn't that like treason or something anyway?" I barked a laugh and Isaac chuckled too.

"No Isaac," my chest shook from laughing, "I don’t think that qualifies as treason..." he titled his head to the side looking like a cute, curious little puppy. 

"But isn't stealing a mate like, bad?"

"Yes but she's not my mate. If she was meant to be my mate I would've known at Deaton's. In order to have a mate the love has to work both ways. That's often why Alpha's kill each other when they’re forced together."

"Oh. So... you can have more than one Alpha in a pack?"

"In a more primordial pack yes but it’s uncommon in packs like ours. Even if Luna was my mate she wouldn't be an Alpha. It doesn't work like that anymore. Packs have evolved."

"So were your parents apart of a 'primordial' pack?" He had a tough time saying ‘primordial’. 

"You ask too many questions!" I grabbed his neck and gave him a noogie. 

"Ow! What was that for?!" He laughed, rubbing his head. 

"You know damn well what that was for," I joked and he smiled. This is one of the things I love about Isaac. He can be serious and mean when he needs to be, but fun and playful when I need a friend. Something I seriously needed tonight.

He stood up and yawned after a few minutes of silence. His eyes were sleepy and clouded. "Ugh. I'm gonna hit the sack."

"Alright, night."

He walked to his cart but looked back, "Hey, Derek?"

"What?" I groaned, ready to kill him if it’s another question. He's starting to sound like Scott. Always fricken questioning me...

"Thanks," Well. That was unexpected.

I furrowed my brow, “For what?" 

"Telling me about your past. It was..." he paused, searching for the right word, "moving."

"Yeah well don't get used to it," I muttered. 

He winked, "I won’t."

I shook my head with a small smile that I hid in the dark, "Go to bed." 

"Mmkay, night," He flopped onto his bed with a loud heave. I rolled my eyes and smiled. What would I do without that kid...? 

Heading to my cart, I stopped, looking at Luna. I know it’s my Luna. Not many girls fit the description. With her Raven black hair that always made me think of a moonless midnight, her speckled blue gray eyes that fade into a hazel on the edges. It makes me think of a tattoo artist that ran out of ink so he had to improvise. It’s what makes her unique.

She was skinner than my Luna. Like she hadn't eaten in weeks. It made me cringe. Who could've done such a thing to such a high spirited and loving girl? Did the fire really change her that much? 

She had bruises covering her from head to toe, whiplashes engraved into her back and cane marks that reddened the back of her legs. After her adrenaline wore off she felt the full extent of her pain but she put on a strong face. Mainly because she wouldn't let anyone get near her with a needle. We had to corner her. Which made her even more afraid of us might I ad. Less trusting as well.

Before I knew what I was doing, my legs brought me to the side of her bed. Her silky black mane was draped across her face as if she had flipped it. She had a long scar from where the Scottish brute cut her face with his claw and she had burn marks under her eyes that looked like tear stains. It’s as if she had been given so much Wolfsbane she had started crying it out. 

I pursed my lips and closed my eyes, brushing her hair back and pressing my lips to her forehead. "Oh my poor Luna... what am I going to do with you..."


	7. .06

Luna’s POV…

I woke with a start. Sitting upright, I found myself in a bed. Snores filled the air on either side of me. I was breathing heavily and sweat was dripping down my chest. I had been dreaming of Him again. I wish I could forget him but forgetting things of my will doesn't seem to be a strong talent of mine. 

I had heard everything Derek told Isaac. I didn't remember any of it. Except maybe a fire... 

I stretched my legs out ignoring the sharp pain that snaked its way up my spine. I rolled my neck around and cracked my back. I lifted up the t-shirt that was 3 times my size, to see my yellowing bruises. At least they're healing... Letting out a sigh that ended in a groan, I lifted my 95 pound butt off the air mattress and shakily stood up on my feet. 

A small triumphant smile crossed my face when I stood steady for a few seconds. Grabbing hold of whatever I could to keep me upright, I made it to the make shift kitchen as quiet as a mouse. 

I put on hand on the counter as I opened the cabinet, searching for food. As my toes left the ground - only a mere inch - a dizzy spell swept over me and I made the huge mistake of using the hand holding me up to grab my head. Swaying on my feet, I knew I couldn't support my own weight and landed hard on the concrete. 

"Mother of god..." I mumbled, rubbing my bum. 

"Need a hand?" I nearly jumped out of my skin at the sound of a deep, alluring voice. 

Instead of answering him I muttered, "How long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough," he replied, coming to my aid.

I braced my hands on the ground and waved away his hand, shakily standing. I teetered precariously on one leg until I could put weight on the other. Derek stood with his arms across his chest and watched with an amused glint in his eyes. Making it to a standing position, I mentally praised myself before my chicken legs gave out again. This time I landed in the Alpha's arms instead of on my bum.

I pouted as he set me on the counter top, "You're not ready, yet. You’re weak. Just wait until you heal a bit more," he murmured, his hand softly resting on my thigh. I pulled my legs to my chest and rubbed them. I realized two things in that moment. One I really needed to shave and two... I had no pants on; only underwear. "Oh and you might want to cover your ears," he winked and I furrowed my brow but obeyed, slowly raising my palms to my ears.

Taking a pot and a wooden spoon, he banged them together loudly making my lips twitch up in a smile as he shouted, "Let’s go kids! Time to wake up!" I heard numerous groans. Vulgar words were spat and growled without rue. I giggled a little which made Derek's pale green eyes light up. His face portrayed the same apathetic emotion but the phantom of a smile danced on his lips. The ghost of something that used to be. I gave him a small closed lipped smile which he tried to return before three cantankerous, sleep deprived teenagers sluggishly fumbled their way into the kitchen. "Well good morning to all of you too," Derek muttered sarcastically, causing me to giggle again.

Isaac's face lit up as he saw me, awake and functional, "Hey, she's up!" 

Erica rolled her eyes, "How fantastic..." she grumbled, earning a glare from Derek. 

Ignoring Erica, Isaac turned to Derek, "Did you give her the stuff?" He lowered his voice on the word 'stuff' as if he was a drug dealer striking a deal in a public place.

"No she was up before me," he grunted, "It’s in my bathroom if you want to do it."

Isaac began to smile wickedly, "Do it?" He chortled. 

"You know what I mean!" Derek snapped, shaking his head but only I could see the smile in his eyes, "This is what I get for turning perverted, hormonal teenagers..." he grumbled under his breath. 

Isaac laughed again and offered me his hand, "Come with me," He said enticingly. I took his hand; my tiny, bony fingers were engulfed in his huge hand. I was still shaky on my feet and he seemed to realize this because he moved to my side, wrapping one arm around my hips and placing his large palm on my lower back, leading me.

Once we made it to Derek's bathroom, he lifted me by my small waist and sat me on the sink, brushing my hair behind my ear quickly with a smile. I slightly cringed from his touch but he didn't seem to notice and he pulled out a little bottle of liquid and one thing I feared more than storms; a needle. My eyes widened and my heart beat sped up as I tried to scramble to the door. 

In my attempt I was met with a hard chest; Derek's to be exact. That's when I started to panic. I was in a room with a needle and no escape route. My breathing quickened and Derek's eyes widened as he grabbed my shoulders and made me look him in the eye, "Relax, you're okay. Just breathe with me," he took deep breaths that I tried to mimic but the fear of what was behind me was too great to control.

"Put her on the bed," Isaac suggested. Derek nodded, picking me up and putting me on his hip. He laid me down on the bed before lying next to me, constricting my legs with his strong thigh and my fragile arms with his chest and shoulder. 

He shushed me, trying to get me to breathe right. He turned my head towards him, away from Isaac so I wouldn't have to see. He grabbed my chin and forced me to focus on him. Pain ripped up my spine and I thought it was what was in the needle. They're no better than him, with their painful needles and controlling ways! To think I was going to trust them... I cried out but it all suddenly seemed to disappear. I thought I was having an illusion but ... it was the needle. Whatever was in seemed to... take away my pain, not cause it. 

I relaxed; the panic attack was over. Derek fell limp with a sigh. Isaac sat down on the floor and pulled me into his lap, seeing my uncomfortable position. He kissed my temple and I shuttered in delight. "Why can’t you just see we're not trying to hurt you," he murmured softly into my hairline, stroking my black locks. I leaned into his chest and rested my head comfortably in the crook of his neck. "If anything, we're trying to eliminate the pain, not cause it..." I found myself closing my eyes and humming in response to his soothing voice. I just wanted to melt into him and feel the safety he provided. 

Thunder cracked above our heads and I tensed. Isaac rubbed my shoulder calmingly. "Is it really supposed to rain all week?" Isaac asked Derek who hadn't moved from his spot. 

"Yup," Derek blew air out of his mouth, causing his lips to smack together and make a horse sound. 

Before I could giggle, thunder boomed again and I jumped, falling out of Isaac's arms. Derek caught me before my head hit the floor.

“What is it with you and storms? Why do they scare you so much?” Derek asked me as I avoided looking out the window.

I sighed, preparing to share my deep, inner psychosis with my saviors. I guess it’s appropriate. They should know. Maybe if they know the reason my actions will aggravate them less. Especially Derek; I get the impression he’s quite impatient. 

I sat crossed legged on the floor, staring at my thumbs as I began to twirl them nervously, “In every roar of thunder, I can hear my Alpha’s dying screams and in the whisper of rain I hear her last breath," my voice stayed at a whisper, occasionally cracking.

“In every crack that blasts through the sky, I can feel the whip as it forebodingly lands across my back, leaving its mark forever in my skin, the overpowering scent of Wolfsbane burned into my memories, searing my nose.

“Every bolt of lightning I can see the flame of the candle as its hot waxed dripped onto my skin and seared my flesh making it raw and pink. The sensitive flesh made a perfect target for the vicious acts he would commit against me for his own sadistic pleasure.

“When lightning touches the ground I hear the electrical buzz, the same one the cattle prod makes on high. The Machiavellian device that made me dance on my toes in anticipation of its sweltering touch.

“The darkness the cloud cover provides reminds me of the hours I spent blindfolded, completely exposed and helpless. When I didn’t know what was about to happen to me until I was hit with spiteful, searing pain. It was always pain. All I knew was pain…” I trailed off, the two strapping men on either side of me gaping at the information they had received.

I pushed my memories of pain back into the bolted closet where they belonged. I squeezed my eyes shut and focused on my breathing, not wanting to have another attack. 

Derek rubbed my shoulder and kissed my head before murmuring in my ear, "Your safe now. I'm never going to let anything hurt you again..." Oh how wrong he was.


	8. .07

"So... what do you do while they're all at school?" I asked Derek as he grabbed his keys off the counter, waiting for everyone.

"Things that are on my to-do list," he answered vaguely.

I titled my head to the side, my hair falling to one side of my face, "You have a to-do list?"

"A mental one," he winked with a little smile. All the kids came out of their carts and headed up the stairs for the car. "Do you want to go for a ride?" I nodded and trailed behind Derek, still only wearing his shirt that went down to my mid-thigh.

"I call shotgun!" Erica yelled while Isaac and Boyd groaned. Derek slid his arm around my waist and squeezed but let go when he felt me tense, instead settling for taking hold of my hand, pulling me along. 

"Actually, Luna's riding shotgun," Derek declared. I flinched when he said my name. All I remembered was the name He used to call me. I thought that was my name.

"Why?" Erica whined, shooting a glare at Isaac and Boyd who were sniggering as they climbed into the backseat.

"A, because I said so," He growled, making her duck her head. "And B, because you all are getting out; she's not."

"Plus she's not wearing pants," Isaac snickered, making me drop my head so my hair could hide the blush that rose to my cheeks. He dodged Derek's hand by an inch making a heart shape at me to let me know he was joking. 

I watched them all get into the car and luckily, Derek opened my door for me. I slid into the seat and ran my hand over what I assumed to be leather. I looked up and around at this amazing contraption. Derek took a key and put it into something labeled the ignition. I titled my head in confusion and jumped when the car roared to life. Erica laughed behind me, "Afraid of a car too?" She sneered. 

I put my head down and shrugged my shoulders. "Actually... I don't think she's ever been in one..." Isaac muttered. Derek passed a glance at me as he made this large metal machine glide backwards. I thought we were hovering over the ground before I looked out the window and down to see the rubber wheels moving. 

Isaac was actually very right. I had seen and heard of cars but I myself had never been in one. Or at least not from what I remember; which isn't a lot. The trees moved past us at remarkable speed, faster than I think I could run. I pressed my small hand against the window and saw a mirror attached to the car. I stared at my reflection, hardly recognizing myself. 

Ian never let me see myself. He didn't want me to see my scars and relive the way I got each and every one of them. I zoned out, missing Ian. Ian was a lot like Isaac, he had an odd way of being able to calm me down and make me listen to him. He gave me the most loving looks, never ones of pity. I'm sure he felt bad but he had taught me to be strong, independent. 

He had told me that I needed to live with my fears and learn to control myself and realize that not everything was going to hurt me. I thought about that this morning. What Ian had taught me. I closed my eyes as I thought about what would have happened to him for helping me run away. Damien had probably killed him by now. It would've been quick but painful. He probably went easy on Ian, seeing as Ian is his son. 

A tear slipped out of my eye but I was quick to wipe it away with my sleeve. I saw Isaac staring at me through the mirror with a sad look on his face. When he saw I was looking, he forced a small smile, the sadness still gleaming in his eyes. I slightly returned it, not understanding why my heart fluttered. 

We arrived at a large brick building, flooded with teenagers. I saw two brown haired boys staring at us weirdly. I put my head down to avoid their gazes. Derek lifted my chin when everyone got out. The side of his mouth tilted up in a smile before he kissed my forehead. He smirked at the two boys before driving off. 

"Do you want to go shopping with me?" 

"What kind of shopping?"

"Well I have to get food and I could take you to the mall to get you some clothes that actually fit," he looked at his shirt that engulfed my small figure and chuckled slightly. I nodded to him and bit my lip out of habit. 

As I stared out the window, Derek decided to put music on. He switched stations until he found the one he wanted. "You used to love country music..." He mumbled, tapping the wheel along to the beat of the song. 

I tilted my head and listened to the song, feeling like I knew it, "Baby you a song, you make me wanna roll my windows down..." I muttered and Derek froze, clutching the steering wheel tighter. 

"And cruise..." Derek breathed, “You remember... I mean how could you forget? You loved singing and once you sang a song you knew it by heart. The lyrics seemed to be burned into your brain," I flinched, "sorry... I meant you had a good lyrical memory..." I nodded slowly, still chewing on my lip

I stared out the window for awhile but when Derek was quick to brake at a stoplight a wave of pain surged through my back. I arched forward to absorb the shock of it. I continued to stare out the window but could see Derek's reflection in it. He was staring at me intently, pale green eyes full of concern... I thought they were blue... 

I snapped my head up. Where the hell did that come from? I shook it off and continued watching the trees pass by.

When we got home there was an air of discomfort and I didn't know if it was coming from me or Derek; or both. 

"Why don't you go shower, then we'll go out, yeah?" I faked a small smile and nodded, heading for the bathroom. 

I closed the door, stripping to my skivvies and then realizing I had a dilemma. I poked my head out the bathroom door and called to Derek. "Um, Derek?" My voice came out barely above a whisper. He turned around and raised his eyebrows, "How do you turn on the shower?" I mumbled, feeling heat rise to my cheeks in embarrassment. 

He chuckled and he shook his head, "Turn the knob to the left," he told me calmly. 

"Got it," I closed the door again searching for this mysterious knob, "knob, knob, knob…" I muttered to myself as I searched, "Ah ha!" I heard a chuckled from the kitchen and knew Derek had heard me. The heat rose to my cheeks once more as I bit my lip hard. Why do I get so embarrassed around him...? I turned the knob to the left and was sprayed with cold water. A squeal escaped my mouth as I curled into a corner the water didn't touch. 

I reached my arm out and put my fingers cautiously under the water, feeling that it had heated up. I knew Derek was listening in, probably making sure I didn't fall or something. I shampooed through my hair and ran the soap over my body, trying not to focus on the scars that littered my body. Grabbing Erica's razor, I quickly shaved my legs and underarms. After years of experience I had become a master at shaving in a matter of five minutes. That was the amount of time the water was hot for. I stood under the water for a few minutes, reveling in its warmth and how it soothed my sore muscles. 

Turning off the water, I stepped onto the mat, squeezing out my hair and grabbing a towel from the rack, holding it to my chest. I walked over to the mirror and wiped the steam off it, looking at my reflection. I looked over my body and was suddenly disgusted with myself. How could anyone love me with this ugly body...? My bones stuck out; you could see my ribs as I inhaled. Scars were scattered to all places of my body; sometimes in patterns, though most of them in disarray. I studied my face and saw that the burn marks there had healed but the skin was still pink and sensitive. A fading scar was still present on my jawline.

A knock on the door made me jump out of my thoughts. I hurried to wrap the towel around my body. "Come in," even my voice was pitiful. It was so low and weak a human wouldn't have heard it. 

Derek came in and flashed me a small smile which I didn't return, "These are Erica's... they're going to be too big but it’s better than my clothes," he murmured, putting them on the sink. I nodded and grabbed them, heading to the bedroom. He got a confused look on his face and followed me, "Uh... you do know the bathroom is the only room that has a door right?" 

"Do you think I care anymore?" I muttered under my breath, dropping the towel from my body revealing my back to him. 

"Holy..." He inhaled, not bothering to finish his sentence. I knew what he was looking at. The whip marks. But they aren't just scars anymore; they're engravings.


	9. .08

"H-How?" He stuttered, running his hand down my back. I shuttered at his touch.

"Him," I breathed deeply. "Damien."

"Who is he?" Derek asked, leaning on the wall as I dressed myself. He tried to keep his eyes elsewhere but I had a nagging suspicion that he'd seen me before. 

I sighed, "My ... old Alpha. I was turned by his mate. She took me in and made me her beta. When he killed her... I was supposed to advance but he found another Alpha female. One who wanted to be his whore. I became his favorite toy. 

"He made me an Omega so he could use me for his own sadistic pleasures. He's vicious and cruel. His heart has blackened over the years and I don't know why or what caused it."

"I thought an Omega was usually kicked out of the pack?"

I shook my head, "I was his plaything. He wanted me to know my place so he broke me down. Mentally and Physically. I didn't know if it was revenge for something I didn't know I did or what his motive was. There were points in time I didn't know what my name was. Ironically, the only reason I'm alive is because of his son, Ian. He's about 4 years younger than me but still the sweetest kid. He took care of me for the most part when Damien was done with me. He's really the only reason I'm still alive..." My voice cracked thinking of what might have become of my poor Ian. 

"So if this lil' kid hadn't helped you..." Derek trailed off as we walked to the car, processing. 

"Yeah, I would be dead," I whispered in reply. The rest of the car ride was silent except for the soft hum of country music I didn't recognize. 

 

After spending 2 hours at the mall and acquiring fitting clothes that would last me for at least the rest of the week, we arrived at the supermarket and Derek came around the car to open my door. He offered his hand and I took it. We held hands all the way into the store before he let go to get a cart. 

"So, what kind of food do you like?"

I shrugged, "Anything sounds better than raw meat."

He scoffed, "You're kidding right?" I shook my head. "Jesus," He muttered shaking his head. "So you were like an actual wolf pack?" I nodded. "How?" 

I raised my brow at him, "You do realize there are 3 different types of werewolves’ right?" He shook his head, chewing on his lip with his forehead scrunched up. "You need to do some research..." I mumbled. 

"Why can’t you tell me?"

I shrugged, "I know the outline of the story but I don't remember it word for word. The elder used to tell the stories and I wasn't exactly a pup so I only got to listen from afar," He nodded throwing things into the rolling cart. 

I picked up a bag that read 'Campfire Marshmallows'. "What are 'marshmallows'?" I stuttered over the word. He laughed at me. 

"Happiness made into a puffy cylinder," He informed me. I tilted my head and he laughed again, a smile on his face that I knew wasn't around often. I let out a laugh and followed him throughout the rest of the store. 

His cart was almost overflowing with just junk. We were in the candy isle and he was getting them all their favorites. He would make a good dad... I jumped again, thoughts I hadn't sanctioned crossing my mind. 

"What?" Derek asked, sounding concerned. 

"Oh, um nothing I just uh..." I looked around for an excuse and pulled a random bag of candy off the shelf. "I think I like this kind," I lied through my teeth and he smirked, knowing. 

"I'm pretty sure, these," He handed me a bag of Reese's Pieces, "are your favorites."   
"Oops, that's right, I forgot..." I fake laughed and he shook his head, one brow raised as he shook his head. I took the bag from him and my chest tightened, my mind wandering to places I didn't know existed.

"Derek!" I screamed, chasing him down the aisle. "Cheater! You had a head start!" I punched his shoulder and he laughed, almost falling into his cart. 

"Are you two cart racing again?" Laura asked us as she walked by. We nodded vigorously then laughed when we realized we mimicked each other. "Please don't run into anyone," She begged us. 

Derek laughed a huge grin present on his face, "We won’t!" He kissed her cheek and grabbed my hand as we ran off. I caught Laura rolling her eyes as she smiled after us. "Ready on three! One... two... go!" I ran halfway down the aisle, gaining momentum before I jumped on the back of the cart and leaned forward. Derek caught up to me and we stared each other down, smirks on our faces as we realized we had to break the tie.

Moving in time with each other I propelled myself forward with one foot coming neck and neck with my best friend again. We were looking at each other again with mock angry faces. I didn't have enough time to notice the man standing at the end of the aisle. 

"Ah!" I screamed and he put out his arms, grabbing the front of not only mine but Derek's cart as well. It was like hitting the front brakes on a bike going down a hill. Derek and I went flying over the man's head, Derek being like a cat and landing swiftly on his feet while I somersaulted a few feet before landing on my haunches. 

"Good job, Luna!" The man praised, pleased that my martial arts was paying off. Derek smiled and held out his hand to me, to pull me up. I smirked under my 'gracious' smile and took his hand, flipping his lean body over my head and making him land hard on his back. I flipped back, still having hold on his hand as I twisted around it and landed with my knees on either side of his chest. 

"That's for landing on your feet, wolf boy," I snickered, kissing his cheek. He had a goofy grin on his face laughing as I took hold of his forearm and hauled him off the floor. 

"Your mother needs you two home," My favorite family member said. 

"Can we get candy first?" Derek asked and I jumped up and down in glee. 

"Yes, CANDAY!!!" I shouted, and he chuckled. 

"You two don't need any more sugar," I slid to the floor and wrapped myself around his leg. 

"Please!!! Oh please, pretty please with cherries on top!" I begged and he chuckled again.

"The physical appearance of the please does not change the answer Miss Luna," I pouted then smirked.

"Please... I'll love you forever!" He sighed and I knew he was caving. 

"Fine," Derek and I cheered. I had a way with this man. "But only one thing. Got it?" 

"Got it!" We called back, already racing towards the candy aisle. 

"M&M's!" Derek said in a golem voice. 

"Ugh, too much Choco-late. I need some peanut butter up in here," I said like in a gangster voice, getting a bag of Reese's Pieces. 

"Alright, let’s go," The reaper of fun called. I gave Derek a smirk and he returned it, nodding. I threw him my candy and went running; straight towards my Uncle. Let's see how good his reflexes are to my ninja skills. 

I launched myself at him and tackled him. His wrapped his arms around my back and slid his feet backwards to keep his balance and not drop me. I pouted and he put me on his hip, laughing. 

"I've been at this a long time sweetheart, it’s gonna take a lot more than that to take me to the ground," I pouted again. He kissed my cheek, not liking my unhappy expression. "How about," he shifted my weight on his hip. "We do some Kung Fu tonight. You against... Derek," He smirked evilly at Derek whose eyes went like saucers and his jaw fell open. 

"I hate you!" He screamed playfully, grumbling something about dying. 

"Yay! You're going down bro," I laughed at Derek, knowing I was unbeatable in Kung Fu. I hugged my uncle around the neck before sliding to the ground. "Thanks Uncle Peter, you're the best," I beamed.

He chuckled with a smirk, "I know."


	10. .09

Everything was awkward on the way back to the station. After I told him what I remembered, he told me Uncle Peter was dead and had killed a lot of people. I didn't believe him - and still don't - but I am heartbroken that Derek hates him. 

Isaac called Derek and said he wolfed out in Lacrosse practice so Derek and I came to get him. I'm pretty sure Isaac sensed the tense air because he sat in the back, drumming his fingers on his knee silently with his lips pursed. 

Derek's phone buzzed. He pulled it out of the cup holder and read the message. His eyes went wide as he typed a reply, glancing up at the road every few seconds.

Isaac tensed when he looked over Derek's shoulder to see who was texting him back rapidly. Derek paused, "Would you care to stop breathing in my ear?" Derek hissed and Isaac shrunk back.

"Sorry," Isaac mumbled and Derek grumbled incoherently as he finished his reply. Isaac gulped and stared straight out the windshield. I bit my lip, not because Isaac was worrying over the conversation Derek was having with someone, but because Derek really wasn't paying attention to the road and my stomach was rolling. That's always my queue that something bad is about to happen. 

"Derek..." I whispered. He glanced up at me but then went back to his phone. 

"What?"

"Derek, look out!" Isaac screamed. Derek had turned his wheels in a median lane and Isaac saw the Honda speeding up behind us with no intention of stopping as the driver was searching for something in his glove compartment. He rammed into our bumper, sending the front end of the car into oncoming traffic. I looked out my window to see a huge dually headed straight for us.

I screamed throwing my arms over my head to shield my face when someone grabbed me by the shoulders and pulled me into them. Derek hurried to put the car in reverse, using his wolf reflexes. The car screeched backwards, leaving black marks on the road. The dually still clipped the front end, sending the car on its side. I was pushed to the floor of the car someone still laying on top of me as the car flipped multiple times in the air, finally landing upside down in a ditch. 

 

I was dazed. Almost as if I had blacked out. I heard ragged breathing coming from next to me and I saw a passed out Isaac. His head was bleeding and his back was sliced and diced. I ran my hand through my hair and suddenly realized that I only had a scratch on my hairline from broken glass. Rubbing my arms, I found them covered by something. Isaac had covered me in his leather jacket. 

I heard a groan from the front seat. "Luna? Isaac?" Derek moaned. 

"I'm ok," I replied, "Isaac's hurt pretty bad and unconscious." He grunted and kicked his door off, slicing his nails through his seatbelt and sliding out of the car. Ripping off the backseat door, he grabbed Isaac under the arms and hauled him out. He offered his hand to me and I took it, climbing out as well.

He laid Isaac down and did a quick check over. I sat cross legged on the ground, putting Isaac's head in my lap, softly stroking his bloody hair. "He saved me..." I muttered. 

"Good thing too," Derek grunted, nodding his chin in the direction of my seat. It was crunched in and folded up seeing as the dually had hit it and the car had landed on it several times. "You would be dead." I nodded in agreement.

Isaac coughed and gurgled. His tongue was red. "Is he going to be okay?" I asked Derek, quietly, hearing sirens in the distance. 

"Yeah," Derek mumbled, picking up a small but thick stick. He pulled Isaac's chin down and slid the stick into his mouth. "Hold his shoulders down," Derek instructed. We were on the other side of the car so the gathering crowd couldn't see us. 

Derek sucked in a shaky breath. "Sorry, Ike," He mumbled, so low I had to use wolf hearing to understand. He grabbed Isaac's ankle firmly. "But this is gonna hurt," He pulled with all his strength and I heard a bone snap. 

Isaac's wolf eyes snapped open and he struggled against my weak grip, a snarl ripping out of his throat. The stick in his mouth cracked under the pressure of his teeth as the inhuman growl rumbled in his chest and busted out of his maw. His abdomen was raised off the ground as if someone had shocked him. 

His growl died down and his body fell limp as his eyes changed back to their natural teal grey. He panted for a minute, sweat dripping off his forehead. He looked up at me and then to Derek who smiled grimly at him. "Sorry buddy, but your leg was healing the wrong way. I had to fix it," Isaac nodded, still breathing heavily. He reached up to touch the cut on my head. 

"Your hurt," He struggled to say, coughing a bit. 

"Not as badly as you," I murmured back. 

"I'll live," He tried to smile but ended up coughing violently, blood staining his teeth. 

"We have to get him to Deaton," Derek said, sliding his hand under Isaac's back. "Help me lift him," I nodded and put Isaac's arm over my shoulder, lifting him off the ground. 

"What about the car?" Isaac asked him. 

Derek laughed, "That's the least of our worries, kid," I smiled, loving their brotherly relationship. 

 

I sat in the waiting room of the Animal Clinic with Derek, curled into Isaac's lifesaving jacket. Deaton came out and smiled at us. I glanced up at him with my eyes but kept my head down. He lifted my chin and moved my hair away from my cut. He dabbed it with some wet gauze and smiled again at me. "Your very lucky, Luna," I nodded, head still down. He sighed and turned to Derek. "I'm surprised you weren't as injured as he was." 

"I'm an Alpha; I heal faster," Deaton nodded but by the look on his face, he already knew that. 

He pulled up a chair and sat across from us, "I saw the accident coverage on TV. She should be dead. What happened?" 

Derek sighed deeply, "Isaac pulled her into the back seat and wrapped his jacket around her. When the dually nailed us, he pushed her to the floor and covered her with his body. The back windshield broke and that's what sliced his back. I know he passed out at one point and broke his leg."

Deaton processed this, "He saved her."

"Yeah," Derek choked up. "He did." 

"Aw, Derek. Don't get so emotional for me. I'm still alive," My head shot up at the sound of his voice. He was shirtless and I could see that his whole abdomen was wrapped up and he had a butterfly Band-Aid on his temple where a huge cut was. I jumped out of my seat and launched myself at him, still wearing his jacket. 

He chuckled and he embraced me. He leaned against the doorframe to support himself. "Hi, sweetheart," He mumbled into my hair. 

"Thank you," I whispered back, low enough that only he could hear it with his wolf auditory.   
He chuckled again, "Anytime, love," He kissed my hairline and I let him go, thinking I was hurting him.

He wrapped his arm around my waist and I supported his weight as we walked over to the chairs. I sat him down and Derek grabbed his hips to help him. He closed his eyes and let out a pained noise. I bit my lip and looked at him worriedly. He smiled and winked. 

"Well, I'm glad to see you're alive and kicking," Derek joked and Isaac laughed. 

"Yeah, I'm fine." 

"He can go home. Just make sure he heals properly. I had to remove quite a bit of glass. The skin will heal over any piece that's left."

"How will he know if a piece is left?" Derek questioned. 

"It'll be like pouring battery acid on that patch of skin. Trust me, he'll know," Deaton smiled and patted Isaac's leg. Isaac's mouth twitched up in an attempted smile but he couldn't quite get Deaton's vivid description out of his head.

Isaac thanked Deaton. "Anytime," Deaton got up, leaving us. 

"Alright, bud, let’s go," Derek said, sliding Isaac's arm over his broad shoulders. 

"How are we going to get home?" Isaac asked curiously as Derek wiggled his fingers at me. I quickly understood and took off Isaac's jacket while Derek helped him put it on. 

"Scott's picking us up," Derek grumbled oh so happily. I giggled, supporting Isaac's other side. Isaac smiled and shook his head slightly. 

Scott was waiting for us outside and he helped Derek put Isaac in the car. Derek told me to sit up front which I pouted slightly to but I wasn't about to object an Alpha. Derek sat in the back with Isaac, who fell asleep almost instantly. 

Scott got tired of the silence and turned on the radio. He started humming along and tapping the steering wheel to a song I assume from the lyrics was called 'Rock Me'. I listened to the lyrics and furrowed my brow. Something about this song... I almost feel like I could've lived it... 

"Derek... we shouldn't do this..."

"Come on, Luna. Nobody's going to be home for hours. We're finally all alone..." He whispered seductively in my ear. A shutter ran down my spine. We were lying on the beach in front of the Hales' summer ocean front house. I was in nothing but a bikini, under the moon, with Derek lying next to me. 

"But... you're dating Kate..."

"Not yet..." He kissed my neck, sucking on my sweet spot and making me moan involuntarily. Derek rolled over on top of me, hands braced on either side of me, knees pinning me down. He supported his own weight when he lifted one hand and slid it up my thigh. "Don't tell me you don't want it..." He murmured, lightly nipping my sweet spot again. 

I could see his eye turning blue in the orange light the fire beside us provided. "Can you handle it?"

"I promise. I have control," He told me, proving it by making his eyes turn green again. I've always loved his bright green eyes, so full of life, laughter, and love. The waves crashed on the shore in front of us, the sound soothing me as much as Derek's sweet, tender touch. 

"I love you, Derek," I whispered through a moan.

"I love you too, Luna," He murmured lovingly, gripping my hips and kissing my lips like he never wanted to let me go.

I gasped quietly, pursing my lips in hopes that Scott didn’t notice. If he did, he didn’t show it. 

I peeked at Derek in the rearview mirror. He had one eyebrow raised, indicating his concern and curiosity. I bit my lip and looked over his body. I remember everything about that night. Especially him.

I shook my head slightly as if to say, ‘I’ll tell you later’. I had to tell him. I couldn’t keep that to myself. And if that really happened… I’m screwed.


	11. .10

I sat with Isaac's head in my lap, softly stroking his trimmed curls. He was completely comatose. Derek was out, to where? He didn't tell me. Not that he ever does.

I heard a door slam and rushed footsteps. Erica burst into the cart and her eyes landed on Isaac. Her face crumpled and her eyes turned gold. She looked to me with a hiss, "You did this! It's your fault!" I shrunk back as she moved toward me. "He was trying to save you! You’re the problem. All you do is cause trouble. I don't even know why Derek saved you. You weren't worth it," I gulped, now standing and backing away from her. She continued to lecture me on my worthlessness as I desperately tried to either find Boyd or escape up the stairs. "... are those my clothes?!" She shrieked. Instead of trying to tell her that Derek gave them to me, I bolted. 

Seeing as I'm light, I'm a lot faster than Erica. I didn't want to reveal my secret quite so soon so I just ran without shifting. Running into the woods I could hear Erica right behind me. I was breathing heavily by the time I reached a clearing. My chest hurt as my lungs rose and fell wearily. I haven't had this much exercise since the night I ran from Damien. I looked around for Erica but didn't see her. 

A sick chuckle broke my conscious. She sounds like a hyena. It wasn't deep and menacing like Damien's but it did sound like she'd rather kill me than anything else. He was always playfully sadistic.

Nails dug deep into the skin of my back and ripped down. I cried out but when I whipped around, no one was there. Her hyena laugh was louder this time. If it’s a fight she wants... it’s a fight she's gonna get. I closed my eyes, attempting to control my breathing. My skin prickled, the hair on my arm turning white. Erica stopped moving and I could feel her watching me. 

A twig snapped and I could hear a blade being unsheathed. I stopped shifting and Erica took off. Leaves on the ground rustled and I turned to face it. Curiosity overwhelmed me and I titled my head, unsure of what or who was here. Just as I moved my head to the side, something whizzed by my ear, hitting a tree behind me with a bang. 

I was blinded for a minute, frantically searching for my sight. I blinked rapidly but it did no good. Black figures danced on the outside of my vision. My world was blurry. 

A heavy weight slammed into my side, lifting me off the ground. I was being moved through the trees at a tremendous speed. Still trying to regain my sight I ignored the fact that I was being carried off somewhere. Whoever was carrying me tripped and we rolled into a ditch. I was pressed to the ground, a hand covering my mouth. 

Someone hissed in my ear, "What the hell are you doing out here?" Derek. Things we're still blurry but I was able to make out the Alpha's broad figure as he towered over me, keeping a look out for something. 

Instead of explaining myself, I pushed his hand off me and crossed my arms over my chest. "Who attacked us?" 

"You mean, who attacked you."

"Whatever you'd like to call it," I grumbled. "Answer the question."

"Confidence. I like it," I narrowed my eyes at him. He sighed, "Hunters. Werewolf hunters."

I furrowed my brow, "They exist?" 

He looked at me like I was crazy, "How can you not believe something exists when you're a living myth?!" His voice rose but stayed a whisper.

"I've never been chased by hunters so how in the world would I know?" I snapped back, mimicking his voice. He rolled his eyes. I wiggled underneath his weight, realizing that my back was still bleeding from where Erica slashed me. "Would you mind getting your fat ass off me?" He rolled his eyes again with a sigh and slightly shifted so he wasn't squishing me. 

"You're never this cranky... do you have PMS or something?" 

"No, I have PYS," I growled while his forehead scrunched up in confusion. "Pissed at you syndrome."

He barked a laugh, "Do you even know what PMS is?" 

"Pissed at men syndrome," I mumbled back, having a feeling Ana lied to me about that one. 

"Fine, let’s call it that," He muttered, looking over the ditch wall again. 

"What is it really?" 

"It doesn't matter."

"Yes it does, tell me."

"Just shut up and leave it," He snarled and I huffed.

"Well someone had their bitchflakes this morning..."

"What-!" 

"Umm, question one," Derek and I looked up to see the two brown haired boys from this morning looking down at us. "Why are you in a ditch, practically on top of each other?" Buzz cut asked. 

"And why are you discussing PMS in fine detail?" The curly haired one asked. I think that's Scott.

Instead of answering either of them, Derek huffed, mumbling incoherently, before standing and offering his hand to me. I glowered at him, dusting myself off and standing on my own. He rolled his eyes. The two boys looked back and forth between us, their brows rising with every glance. 

"Where are the hunters?" Derek asked. 

"There are no hunters," Curly said cautiously.

"Good we lost them," Derek breathed.

"Or you might've scared them off. You know with the conversation you were having," Crickets seemed to fill the air as buzz cut rambled. "I would've run," Derek sent him a glare and he backed up a step, looking at his shoes like they were the most interesting thing in the world. I wanted to giggle but continued my steady glare at Derek. This wasn't like me to be so confident around an Alpha but damn did it feel good. It must have something to do with my little flashback... or the full moon.

"Why are you out here, Scott?" Derek took his glare off buzz cut and turned it on Scott. I realized Scott was a wolf. I could tell by his stance. You can tell a lot about a person by their body language, eyes, and voice. You just have to learn how to read it. 

"We were looking for you actually," Buzz cut kicked a rock and looked up at Scott. 

"Whoa we?"

"It was your idea."

"Yeah but..." He looked at Derek. "I didn't want it to involve him."

"Stiles," Scott said, their tones getting quieter with each sentence. Soon they were conversing so quietly I stopped listening. 

"Can you get to the point?" Derek demanded. 

"We have an idea on how to catch Jackson."

"Shoot," Derek said but Scott looked at me. Derek sighed, "Stiles, take her back to the station."

"Why should I?" Stiles swaggered up behind Scott, trying to be confident. Derek trained his Alpha stare on Stiles and a growl rose in his throat. Stiles laughed awkwardly, biting his lip. "I'm not afraid of you," Stiles gulped, sounding unsure. I could see the hidden smirk on Derek's face as he took one step forward. 

Stiles jumped back, "Whoa, okay, jeez I was just kidding," He fumbled for his keys in his pocket. "Just kidding..." He backed up slowly, still searching for his keys. 

Derek nudged me in the back, "Go with him."

"No," I protested. He gave me a little shove. I dug my heels into the ground and crossed my arms over my chest. 

"Luna..." He growled and I gave him a smug look, huffing. Scott watched us with interest. Derek growled, ducking his head to my ear, "Look here missy. I don't give a damn what happened to you and why you're being like this but if you don't go with Stiles..."

"You'll what?" I smirked but he returned it.

"You get to train with Erica," My eyes went wide. "First thing tomorrow morning," I gulped, putting on my glare again to look at him. 

"Fine," I hissed. "Oh and I remembered something," I smirked, knowing I was going to nail him just as hard. 

"That's good. What was it?" 

"June 21, 2009," Derek's chest tightened unnoticeably. "Ring a bell?" I smirked, trotting off after Stiles. 

Derek's growl reached my ears halfway to Stiles' jeep, "We'll be having a talk later..." I flipped him the bird and his snarl filled my ears, bringing a smug smile to my face. 

Stiles looked at me with his jaw dropped. "What?" He shook his head and snapped out of it, putting the car in drive. 

"How are you so confident around him? I mean Jesus; even hearing his name makes me want to piss my pants..." I raised my brow and allowed a small smile to creep onto my face at his humor. 

"Oh trust me; I'm not afraid of Derek. We go way back..." 

Stiles kept passing glances at me and finally decided to speak, "You are Luna right?"

I shrugged, "Yeah I guess," He looked confused at my answer but ignored it.

"You're not like how Deaton described you. You're certainly not a shy, scared out of her mind Omega," I winced.

"I was..." I sighed, "Look, can we please not talk about this?" He put his hand up in mock surrender and we drove in silence. He turned on the radio and of course some melancholy song decided to lighten my mood. Sarcasm intended. I hate the radio sometimes. 

"Alright," He yanked the car into park. "This is where the Stiles mobile stops," I raised one eyebrow. "Yeah I couldn't come up with anything better," I smiled and snuffed.

"Thanks Stiles."

"Anytime, milady," I got out and he drove away, sending dust into the air around me. 

I trotted down the stairs and both Boyd and Erica stepped out of their carts, standing with their arms crossed and glaring at me. "Oh not this again," I groaned. 

"We didn't finish what we started," Erica growled, glancing at Boyd. He hadn't broken eye contact with me. "And nobody's here to save you this time," She started moving toward me, Boyd keeping in time with her steps. 

A deep growl erupted and echoed throughout the shabby station. Someone dropped down in front of me, head bowed. "That's where you're wrong, Erica," My heart sped up; Isaac. He looked up at her, moving his body in front of mine. 

Erica huffed, "She almost got you killed."

"I made a choice. She had nothing to do with it," His voice was eerily calm, scaring even me while I saw it made Boyd shift his feet. It was almost as if the wrong word could make Isaac shift and rip out both their throats with one swipe. 

"What the hell is going on with everyone today?!" A snarl was emitted from the top of the steps causing everyone to wince. "I don't know why all of you are having personality disorders today but I'm done. All of you go to your carts and don't even look at each other."

"Yes, daddy," Erica hissed, slinking off to her cart. Boyd passed a glance at Derek who gave him the 'what are you waiting for?' look. 

When Boyd disappeared, Isaac stood up straight, a shudder running up his spine. A moan escaped his lips as he fell over. Derek was quick to catch him, allowing Isaac to lean on him. "Now tell me how that was smart?" Derek muttered to him, dragging him to his cart. 

"They were going to hurt her," Isaac mumbled. I stayed outside the cart but continued to listen. 

"I would've handled it," Derek said firmly but you could hear the soft edge to his voice. One he only uses on Isaac and me. 

"You would've been too late. Erica already hurt her, I couldn't let it happen again," There was silence for a moment and I stopped breathing; knowing Derek was listening to see if anybody was close. With a heartbeat you can’t tell where it is so I was safe. 

"You care about her don't you?" I heard Isaac shrug, eyes closing. "Get some sleep," Derek ruffled Isaac's curls. Isaac nodded, already half asleep. I peeked around the corner to see a small smile turning up Derek's lips. 

I bolted for the kitchen when he turned around. I grabbed an apple and banked on the counter as if I'd been here all along. He walked into the kitchen and paused, looking at me. "If you didn't know, that little outburst included you." I hopped up on the counter, taking another bite out of my apple, ignoring the Alpha. He rolled his eyes, leaning his hips on the counter across from me. I could feel his eyes wandering all over my body, probably looking to find where Erica slashed me.

"When are we going to have that talk?" I asked, taking another bite out of my apple before leaning back and lying across the island. 

"When they're at school."

"You're really going to send Isaac back to school like that? You're nice," I snorted. Suddenly, Derek's eyes gleamed red and he grabbed my ankles, yanking me forward so that he could brace his arms on either side of my head. He stood in between my legs and got really close to my face, breathing like a bull. My eyes widened slightly and I gulped quietly, hoping he didn't notice how my boldness crumbled under him. 

"While I like this new found confidence, and I'm proud you've grown a backbone, do remember that I'm the Alpha and unless you'd like to challenge me, you have to listen to me. So I suggest that you don't say anything rash that might come back to bite you in the ass later," He murmured with that deadly voice of his. His hand rested on my back and I saw his jaw tighten as his palm rested on my new wound.

I smirked, raising my fingernail to trace down his jawline. Unlike Erica, my nails didn't cut his skin. He closed his eyes, breathing out heavily. I flicked up under his chin and raised my back to get even closer to his face. "Then that's a risk I'll just have to take," I breathed, smirking again before sliding out from under him. 

Finding my apple rolled to the other side of the island, I grabbed it and took another bite, getting to the core. "You're a problem. You know that right?" Derek chuckled, running a hand through his hair. 

I flashed him a grin, turning around and heading towards my cart. I paused, remembering my apple. I threw it over my head and listened with a smirk as it hit a cabinet, rolled around the rim of the trash can before plopping in. Making a sound of approval I strutted to my cart. 

Derek sighed, looking after me, "Just… a problem. My problem..."


	12. .11

I stretched my arms over my head as I sat up. I raked my nails through my hair, hoping to make it slightly less messy. Pulling the covers back and swinging my legs around to the edge of the bed, I stood up. I looked quickly in the mirror, rubbing my eyes and wiping my chin. I tend to drool in my sleep. I pulled the skin back on the corner of my eyes hoping to not look as tired. 

I checked the time to see it was 6:30 and dawn was just breaking. I poked my head out of my cart and looked both ways to see if anyone was awake. Tip toeing to the bathroom I accidently kicked a can. I froze, clenching my fists and pursing my lips, listening to see if anyone had heard. When I made sure no one's heartbeat got faster, I continued to the bathroom. 

Turning on the light and closing the door behind me, I locked it out of habit. I turned on the faucet, splashing water on my face and scrubbing away the oil. I brushed out my hair and braided my sides away from my face, pulling it into a high ponytail. Walking out of the bathroom I shifted my borrowed shirt on my shoulders so that it flapped against my thighs, hiding my underwear. 

I heard a bustle in the kitchen, noticing the coffee machine went off. I changed my path and decided to check it out. Derek was pouring himself a cup of coffee. He looked over his shoulder when he heard me come in. I sent him a warm smile, "Hey." I saw his chest tighten; something I wouldn't notice if I didn't know him. He cleared his throat, raising the cup to his lips; he turned to look at me. His eyes flashed with emotion when he saw I was still wearing his shirt. He looked away and walked past me, "Get dressed," He muttered.

I scoffed, "Really?" 

He stopped, slightly turning his head so he could look at me out of the corner of his eye, "We're training today. Pick something appropriate," Then he left. 

I harrumphed, "He's really going to play this game?" I muttered aloud to myself although knowing that Derek could hear it. Marching back to my cart, I saw Isaac coming out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist, watching me as his hair dripped water onto his chest. 

I whipped off Derek's shirt, picking a black sports bra out of my many bags, pulling it over my head. "Are you alright?" I jumped and turned around to see Isaac standing in my doorway. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," He murmured. He was shirtless; only wearing a pair of jeans, barefoot. He was rubbing his hair with a towel, shaking it out after. 

I smiled, "You didn't," I said, trying to keep my eyes anywhere but his toned chest and extremely defined V. 

He chuckled, coming closer, "Well, you did jump," He smirked as a blush rose to my cheeks. 

"Well, you are half naked," I countered and he barked a laugh.

"I could say the same for you," My eyes widened slightly and I turned bright red when I remembered that I was only in a sports bra and underwear. He chuckled, brushing hair from my face and leaning down towards my ear. "And let me just say..." He purred, running his hand down my side, "You're absolutely gorgeous."

I blushed, pushing slightly on his chest when I realized I was staring... well down. "Not really," I murmured back. "I'm all bony."

He blew air out of his nose and hummed, his breath tickling my ear, "That's not the only thing that makes you beautiful. I could care less about your body. I'm not saying you wouldn't look astonishing with a few curves but I don't judge girls by their bodies," He pulled away from me, resting his hands on my hips as he flashed me a smile and kissed my cheek, leaving me frozen in place. 

As he left, my mind raced. Why Isaac have such an effect on me? Even Derek can’t do what he does. I slowly regained control of my muscles, slipping on my yoga pants and a white fly away crop top. I saw the jewelry bag and stopped, drumming my fingers on my leg and biting my lip. Oh what the heck. I rummaged through the bag, finally finding my naval ring. I always knew I had one but was never able to put something in. I checked my reflection one more time, smirking to myself and grabbing my varsity jacket before walking out the door.

"I'm fine."

"Yeah you say that," I strutted into the kitchen to find Derek and Isaac bickering. 

"Derek, I really don't need to see Deaton again..." He trailed off as he turned to look at me. He and Derek looked like deer in headlights with their jaws hanging open. I continued to prance over to the fridge, sashaying my hips for show. I grabbed an apple and took a bite, hopping up on the counter and looked at the two astounded boys. 

"What?" I asked, taking another bite. Derek recovered first, shaking his head and grumbling something about finding his car keys. I tilted my head and turned my gaze on Isaac. I raised my brows and he cleared his throat, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. 

"Since when do you have a belly button ring?" He asked and I was about to answer but Derek beat me to it.

"Since she was 14," I scowled at him and he bared his teeth at me. "Birthday present," I hissed. Isaac seemed to notice the tension when Derek tried to stare me down and I glowered in return. 

Suddenly I grinned, catching Derek off guard. I winked at him and slipped on my jacket. I capered over to Isaac, grabbing his hand and pulling him up the stairs. He followed without protest. I heard Derek's growl and smirked to myself. 

Isaac opened the car door for me, allowing me to slip in before he shut the door behind me. Boyd and Erica soon came into view along with a very pissed off Derek. I just wanted to high five someone in that moment of triumph. 

He slammed his door shut, making the young wolves jump. He hightailed it out of the wooded driveway, making the three in the back grab onto the handles while I smiled, looking out the window. 

Despite Isaac's multiple protests, Derek stopped at the Animal Clinic. I trotted in happily and Deaton smiled when he saw me. I grinned and waved in return. "What is with her lately? She's having some serious mood swings..." I heard Isaac mutter to Derek as Derek dragged him out of the car and into the clinic. 

"It must be the full moon. She did tell me she was a different kind of wolf. Maybe that has something to do with it because I agree with you, this is weird," Derek grumbled back before greeting Deaton. 

Isaac pulled off jacket and I had to look away when he whipped off his shirt. Deaton had him sit on the exam table as he examined Isaac's back. I stood against the wall and almost gagged when Derek came towards me with his 'we need to talk' look. 

"So... if you're not a wolf like us... then what kind of wolf are you?" He asked me and I rolled my eyes. 

"Ah, that my dear Watson, shall remain a mystery," I said in my lovely Sherlock Holmes accent. He narrowed his eyes at me but kept his cool. I could tell by the way Isaac's head was slightly tilted that he was listening to all of this. 

"Does the impending full moon have anything to do with your rapid mood swings?" I raised my brow at him.

"Example?"

"Well you were extremely overconfident in the ditch yesterday which by the way Deaton should look at your wound too-,"

"It already healed," I cut him off. 

He became very confused, "That's impossible. You can’t heal that fast," I let a little smirk slip onto my face as I lifted my brows along with my shoulders, indicating a shrug. "That must be another product of the full moon... 

"Anyways, but when Erica and Boyd were going against you, I felt your fear. Then, not five minutes later you were being all sexy and cocky with me in the kitchen. 

"And this morning you were being all nicey, nicey yet when Isaac was in the kitchen you were defying my stare! None of them do that!" He was whisper yelling at me now. 

I smirked and chuckled slightly, "I act different ways around different people because I have different opinions of them. I was trying to be nice to you this morning but you blew me off like the prick you are. So yes, I was pissed and decided to grow a pair and make you realize it. I warned you, I can play your game and let me tell you, I will win every time. You think you're a good player? Well I'm the god damn coach," I heard a little snort come out of Isaac that he tried to hide with a sneeze. I could tell Deaton was wondering what was going on at this point as well. "Oh and the healing... that's a mystery even I don't know how to solve," If it weren't for the fact that it's Isaac whose hurt, I would've marched right home. No car. 

Deaton shined his pen light in Isaac's eyes before standing up straight and turning to Derek. "I'd say he's good to go. He seems to be just fine," Deaton smiled and Isaac proceeded to put his shirt and jacket back on. 

"Good. Let's go you two," Derek said, ushering us out. Isaac bit his lip, glancing at me. I flashed him a smile which he returned warmly. I saw emotion flash in his eyes and my brow furrowed for a moment, trying to decide what it was. 

Once we reached the school, everyone groaned. "Why doesn't she have to go to school," Erica hissed, sending me a glare. 

"Because one, I don't feel like signing her up and two, she's 19," Derek answered angrily, clutching the steering wheel so tight his knuckles were white. Isaac passed his a worried glance but coaxed Erica out none the less. 

"Wow... you are cranky today!" I observed when they all got out and we sped out of the parking lot. 

"Don't test me, young lady," He growled.

"Oh, young lady," I sniggered, "You sound like my father."

Derek slammed on the brakes at a stoplight. "Do you remember him?" 

"Only that his favorite thing to do was yell and scold me."

"Us," Derek whispered. 

"What?"

"He used to scold us when we got into trouble."

"If I remember correctly, I'm the one who used to be daring and adventurous. You used to follow me around and complain the whole time," I remarked and he barked a laugh.

"Well if I didn't go with you and watch you who would?"

"I think it turned into more than babysitting me, don't you think?" We were both quiet for a moment. "Besides, I think you bitch to hear yourself bitch," I broke the ice and he chuckled. "Are you sure this water's sanitary? It looks questionable to me," I mimicked him in a little kid voice. 

"Oh god, you used to love Disney movies," He covered his face with his hand. "We watched them so many times we started to remember the lines..." I laughed. We sat in silence for a minute; all that could be heard was our breathing. "I miss this," He whispered. 

"Miss what?"

"This. Us."

"What about us?"

"How we can go from fighting to laughing about the stupid things we used to do. I want to go back to us. I just want my Luna back," He murmured, voice slightly cracking. 

"You know, Derek. I'll never be the same girl. Not the one you remember."

He nodded, "I know but maybe... maybe we can start over. Do it all again. Maybe..."

I shook my head, "'Maybe' is like 'Someday'. Code word for never," I muttered. The rest of the ride was in silence. 

 

When we arrived home, Derek positioned me on the other side of the station. He got into position and told me to come after him. I had seen him do this training with Isaac and Erica. The technique is simple but difficult; catch him off guard. Make a decision that he won’t expect; fight without thinking. The best fighters can tell their opponents next move by where their eyes fall; just like when you're riding a horse, you look in the direction you want to turn. 

That's why I was taught to fight without thinking, play it by ear so to speak. I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath. Rolling my eyes into the back of my head, the white sheet fell over them making Derek double take when I opened my eyes. Did I mention I fight blind? It’s all about being a Ghost. If you can’t see them, they can’t see you. Pretty stupid, I know, but ... it works. 

I slunk into the shadows, becoming undetectable to Derek. Werewolves’ instinct is to fight as a wolf which is their downfall when it comes to fighting a Ghost. Any human could see me but since Derek is pumped and ready to fight, his wolf is at the surface, making him senseless to my presence. 

Coming up on Derek I could feel the unease radiating off of him. "Do you want me to really fight you?" He jumped at my nearness. I projected my voice so that he turned to the left. I'm on his right. "Or do you want me to go easy on you?" He nervously laughed, still turning in a circle to try and find me. My voice bounced off the walls, giving me the tactical advantage of his hearing. 

"It’s me who would need to go easy on you, sweet cheeks."

"Mm," I purred, "You sound confident. Just remember, you asked for it."

"I've fought with you before, you may be invisible but once you hit me I know what you'll do."

"You seem to be forgetting one vital piece of information, darling."

"And what's that?" 

I came up right next to his hear, breathing on his neck. "I've been retrained," He turned to grab me but I jumped back, slicing his arm in the process. He roared, making his wolf present. I smirked. Stupid boy. 

When he turned again I sent a right hook to his jaw. He stumbled backwards and I slid under his legs, twisting his arm around to his back. The fight continued with me dancing around his with ease and grace as he swatted blindly into the air around him, hoping to catch me. I was everywhere he thought I wasn't. 

Sliding to the ground on my knees, I slashed his ankles, not nearly deep enough to hit his Achilles tendon but enough to make him fall to the ground. He landed on his chest, I slammed my elbow into the back of his knees, crippling him long enough for me to pull one arm behind his back and pin him to the ground. 

He put up a fuss but fell limp when I dug my nails into a pressure point on his side. "You win," He panted. I smiled triumphantly, rolling up the film over my eyes and making myself present. 

"I do think I recall this position, don't you?" I purred into his ear, still holding him down. He rolled his eyes at me. He would be able to overpower me any minute. I could feel him healing. 

"Who taught you how to do that?" 

"What? How to Ghost?”

"Whatever it is you just did. I don't know of any werewolves who can make themselves blind and invisible."

"You have to be blind to be invisible, silly," I kissed his cheek, taking my claws out of his side. 

I clenched my back muscles, preparing for what was about to happen. "Oh yeah?" He twisted his leg to hook around my waist, essentially rolling my over so he could straddle me, pinning my arms over my head. "And I do think I recall this position, don't you?" He mimicked my tone and I smiled, rolling my eyes. 

"You've obviously never been beaten by a girl," I sassed.

"Oh you've beaten me many times before but that was when you knew my weak spots and, I was only 17," He leaned close to my face so our lips were almost touching. "I wasn't as ... strong as I am now," He purred and I smiled, slightly shaking my head. 

His face turned serious as he pursed his lips and his forehead creased. "What?" I questioned.

"Nothing I just... I really want to kiss you right now..."

"Then do it manly man..." I whispered. He leaned down closer and I closed my eyes.

"Whoa, am I interrupting something?" Derek growled and muttered several curses before looking up angrily at Scott. 

"Yes," Derek hissed. "Fight training," He grumbled uncertainly and I giggled to myself, hiding my blush. He got off me, offering his hand to help me up. I gripped his forearm and hauled myself up. 

Even though it was a short and small fight, I was sweating. I haven't used those skills since Ana died. Nor have I ever used them on a male, let alone an Alpha. 

"Uh, no offense, but that did not look anything like fight training," Stiles pointed out. Derek snarled and stared at him for a moment. "But hey, who am I to judge these things?" Stiles rubbed the back of his neck nervously, practically melting into Scott's back. I chuckled, wiping off my face with a towel. 

"I'm going to get some water," I informed Derek, slinking to the kitchen as I listened to the conversation. 

"Shouldn't you be in school?"

"We have a problem."

"Jesus, what now?"

"Well, I told you we had Jackson... contained..." Scott trailed off. 

"He kind of, maybe escaped," Stiles stuttered nervously. The tension rolled off the three of them in thick sheets. For once Derek didn't scold Stiles for talking. Silence filled the station, only to be broken by one simple word.

"Shit."


	13. .12

Derek dragged a wooden chest out in front of the carts. "And," I dragged out, plodding over to him. "What's this?"

"This," He huffed. "Is what insures my safety tonight."

I tilted my head, "How so?" He opened the chest, revealing chains and headlocks. I laughed humorlessly. "They'll be having a fun night." 

He gave me a pointed look. "You're included in this until I feel your stable enough."

I laughed again, "You're funny. You really are," His expression didn't change. "Either you have an excellent poker face or you're being serious. Either way, I'm still doing my own thing. I don't do group shifting," I flashed him a fake grin and he licked his lip, pursing them and folding his arms across his chest, spreading his legs slightly. "You're kidding!"

"No, Luna. I'm not. I'm chaining you tonight whether you like it or not."

"Ah, no you’re not."

"Ah, yeah I am."

"Do you not think I haven't been a wolf long enough to control her?!" I shrieked at him, throwing my hands in the air in exasperation.

"Some wolves never find their anchor," He countered. 

"Yeah well I did," I spat. "Pain," And with that, I turned on my heel and headed for my cart. If he wants to lock me up and put nails in my head like Old Yeller or something, he is seriously mistaken. I know how to handle myself and that's exactly what I'm going to do. When he tries to lock me up, I'm out of here. 

 

"So he doesn't trust you?" Isaac asked curiously as he munched on his sandwich.

"Yes! And I don't understand why! I've been a wolf for 5 years! I think I'd know how to handle myself by now," I groaned, lying on the island to look at Isaac upside down. 

He moved my raven locks away from his pile of crumbs. "Maybe he's afraid. I mean, he said you were different."

I groaned, "Please, never use that word." 

"Sorry, but you know what I mean. I've never been able to beat Derek once yet you whooped his ass and you haven't fought anybody in 3 years." 

"More like two. I fought for a while. I gave up eventually though," I had told Isaac about my history with Damien. How he made me into an Omega from a Beta. 

Isaac gave me a sad smile, moving my shirt off my shoulder. He ran his hand gently over the scars there. "He did all of that to you..." I heard an underlying sense of pain in Isaac's soft voice. 

"Without remorse," I replied just as softly. Isaac looked away, closing his eyes and gritting his teeth. I rolled over and gripped Isaac's chin, "Hey," I made him face me, rubbing his cheek with my thumb. "It's over now. It doesn't matter," Besides the fact that Ian basically committed suicide to help you. God, shut up! I mentally screamed at The Voice, pushing it away. 

Isaac nodded into my hand and I gave him a reassuring smile, sensing Derek was coming. Isaac's wolf sensed it to because he dropped his head and watched Derek out of the corner of his eye. Derek came in the kitchen, walking to the cabinet and grabbing a glass of water. He turned and raised his brows at us. "I'm sorry, was I interrupting something?" 

I smirked as Isaac shook his head. "Yes actually," I said, slinking up to Derek. "I was discussing with Isaac what I was going to do about my undying passion for you..." Derek's brows rose further and Isaac's head shot up, eyes widening as I was pretty much humping Derek. I reached around his waist, "It's just such a troubling matter..." I slid my hand into his back pocket and he realized all too late that I had grabbed his car keys. 

"Luna!" He growled. "Give them back, now." 

"Nah, I'll pass," I winked at Isaac and he threw me my bag with a humorous smile on his face. Derek glared at me but didn't chase me. Strange... I wasn't even planning on taking the car anyway. 

I threw his keys into the woods like cops used to do to drunk drivers. I jogged to the clearing, wallowing in the halcyon night. Dropping my bag, I slowly unzipped my jacket, revealing my bare body when I slipped my shorts off. The cool breeze caressed my skin and I sighed in pleasure closing my eyes and rubbing my arms. I pressed my chin against my shoulder and smiled happily, eyes still closed. I breathed in deeply, the breath coming out in a purr. My wolf was begging to be free. 

Ah, it's been so long... The Voice whispered contentedly. I rolled my neck allowing her to surface. The hair on my arms stood up and began turning white. My chest compacted, bringing my shoulders closer together. I was slowly lowered to the ground as my organs shrank and my ribs closed in. My eyebrows grew bigger, covering my face in soft, silky white fur. My knees bent backwards, making my drop to all fours. I let out a low growl and twisted my head as my teeth became enlarged, pulling my nose outward. I lowered my head, allowing my muscles to quiver for a moment.

I slowly lifted my head, opening my eyes. A smile lifted my black lips... My beautiful ashen forest, you've returned... She was in full control. The Voice has finally been construed. My beautiful white she wolf has returned to me.


	14. .13

Derek’s POV…

"I'm going to kill her," I grumbled as I grabbed my jacket. "First she decides to play sexy and take my keys throwing them into the woods, then she runs off to god knows where on the full moon. And what the hell was in that bag anyway, Isaac?" I spun around to face him. 

He chewed slowly and gulped, clearing his throat, "Clothes. That's all I saw." 

"Why the hell would she need clothes?!" I screamed in frustration. I have exactly 45 minutes before they start shifting which if I go after Luna will be cutting it close. I still have to chain them all down. "Well fuck," I grumbled to myself. "Hold down the fort and call me if anything is happening. I'm going to go find the rebel child," I mumbled the last part to myself and Isaac saluted me half-heartedly. 

Storming up the stairs, I ignored the fact that I would have to find my keys in the morning. I shifted, knowing I would have to track her by scent because she's too light to leave a footprint. Regardless, I looked on the trees and the ground for anything seeing as I couldn't catch her scent. Seeing a broken branch I followed a little path, unnoticeable to the human eye. 

I was brought to a clearing. It was almost like an area. The edges were nothing but dirt yet, inside the dirt ring was lush verdure. I saw Luna's small footprints and it sort of surprised me to see she was barefoot. I followed what I could make out of her tracks and I found her bag among the greenery. The dew drops shone silver in the moonlight. 

The grass was sunken where her feet last stood but what shocked me was a few feet in front of her... were paw prints. With a shocked interest, I perused the tracks, hoping to find their owner. A small hill started to form and I immediately knew it was the cliff that looked over Beacon Hills. One I had been to many times. 

I made sure to keep my step quiet. A white wolf was laying out on a large rock, tail swishing back and forth. I could tell it was a She-Wolf. She was about the size of a dire wolf. So this is what Luna meant by a different type of wolf... "Luna," I whispered, taking a step forward.

The she-wolf lifted her head and craned her neck to look at me. Her lips lifted, almost in a smile as she slowly alighted from her rock. She stepped into the moonlight, her copious paws sinking into the soft ground. She had a radiant ivory coat, shining a light sterling when the moon light caught it the right way. She had bright, cobalt blue eyes with a strange marking around her left eye. It was like a swirl that ran down her maw with dots that lined the bottom on her eye. She was utterly beautiful. 

A soft laughter filled the air. Speechless? The voice was light and elegant. Definitely a she-wolf. It was still Luna, but there's always something about a She-wolf that makes her not only more confident but also dignified and wise. The voice sounds dainty but in reality, it’s strong and willful. A she-wolf is like a queen, she can bend you to her will with only her words. 

I immediately felt the urge to bow. The tidal of sheer will power sent me on one knee. My head lowered as I tried to even my breathing. Hot breath hit my face, parting my hair in an unnatural way. I looked up to see the smiling She-wolf towering over me. She breathed in the cool night air and sighed happily, giddily bouncing on her toes. Three long years I've been waiting to be free again, you see. That's why I just could not allow you to chain me. I finally have my identity back. My muscles are a bit cramped for not having shifted in about 10 months, but that's normal I suppose. It's what happened last time. But now, I'm free. I'm not chained by my ankle; I can run free. She giggled happily and sprinted to the rock. This town is quite dazzling from up here; I quite like it. She looked up at the moon and closed her eyes, basking in its light. You may want to attend to your young progeny's. This moon has almost fully risen. 

I felt a wave of calmness, releasing me from my state. "You are something else entirely, Luna," I said, shakily standing. "A magnificent thing," I breathed to myself, looking at her still basking in the light. She hummed, a wolf smile raising her lips. Glad you think so, my sweet. Maybe you would run with me sometime hmm? She rubbed up against my side before chuckling and disappearing into the night, only leaving behind a faint white streak. 

"And I thought she was beautiful before..." I mumbled to myself, stumbling through the woods like a lovesick puppy, which, all things considered, I kind of was.


	15. .14

Luna’s POV…

I turned my head curiously, following behind Deaton silently as he entered the burned down Hale house. Standing - still as my wolf - in the doorway, listening. Deaton called Derek's name a few times. 

I yelped in pain when a sound reached my sensitive ears. Curling into a ball on the ground I whimpered, trying to cover my ears with my paws. It took me a minute or two to recover from that dastardly sound. In that time I heard Deaton discussing something with Derek. Why is Derek even here? Why was he passed out? I thought he needed to take care of the kids on the full moon...?

Shifting into my human form was difficult. Plus, I was kind of naked. I looked around for something to cover myself with. Luckily I found a jacket, probably Derek's. It went to my mid-thigh. 

I hurried into the house. Deaton was telling Derek to do something. Derek looked weak and dazed. Not to mention there was a huge hole in the floor. "What happened?" I slightly gasped. Both of their heads turned to me. 

"Luna," Derek sighed. I looked to Deaton who had pursed his lips and then to Derek who looked like he was afraid to tell me something. 

"Just a little accident is all," Deaton smiled but I could see past it.

"What aren't you two telling me?" I questioned further. 

"Luna, just take a minute-," Derek started but I cut him off.

"No! What are you not telling me?!" I shouted at him, my She-wolf growling at the surface. It was still the full moon. She is still the one in control. 

"He's alive," Derek barely whispered. 

"Who? Who's alive? And why is there a hole in the floorboards?"

Derek looked pained and Deaton gave him a look. Derek turned to me after their silent conversation. "Peter," Derek muttered painfully. "Lydia resurrected Uncle Peter," His voice dropped to a hoarse whisper. 

My eyes widened and I stepped back. A part of me was overjoyed but another part was cautious and wary. A shutter rose in my chest and I knew it was her trying to gain control again. She was the one who was overjoyed. "Where is he?" My voice was deeper and darker. She had won the battle. I was going to see my uncle again tonight whether I liked it or not. 

"Luna just listen to me-,"

"Where is he?!" She screamed, cutting him off. 

"Probably at the Sheriff's station," Derek complied. "But you shouldn't go there! You could get hurt!" He called after me, trying to chase me as I walked out of the house. I whipped around to face him. He jumped back a step and I knew my eyes were blue. 

"I can take care of myself!" I hissed, slipping off the jacket and shifting into my white dire wolf. 

My nose immediately hit the ground and I blocked out Derek's cries. I caught wind of my uncle's scent and threw my head in the air, letting out a short howl and bounding off into the woods. 

I lost his scent and let out a cry of frustration. I was never really a good tracker. I then heard commotion coming from downtown. I decided to check it out, that was when I remembered Derek said he might be at the Sheriff's station. 

I finally came out of the woods near the gas station that was across the street from the Sheriff's station. I could a large black Escalade pulling up. Men with large guns piled out almost like a swat team. I titled my head to the side curiously. That's when I caught sight of him. 

He was almost invisible in his black attire but his blue eyes were like my beacon. I whimpered and my muscles quivered in anticipation. All doubt was pushed out of my mind as I bounded towards my uncle, making sure to stay hidden from the men with guns. I slowed my pace when I was about 10 feet away. He wasn't looking at me so I yipped to get his attention. 

He whipped around and furrowed his brows. I yipped, quieter this time, and scratched the ground taking a few steps towards him. A small smile seemed to quirk the edges of his lips as he crouched down and held out his hand. "Come on," He said gently. 

I slowly walked towards him whining slightly. I stood a foot away from him and pawed the ground. I had to distract myself so I wouldn't jump all over him. He kissed at me and opened his hand. I pressed my nose into his hand and he stroked my face, running down to my scruff. I whined happily as I walked towards him and licked his arm. He moved his free hand under my maw, still stroking my scruff, and lifted my muzzle. 

He looked into my eyes and I nudged him. He smiled and stroked the top of my head. I stepped closer to him, nudging his chin, mentally praying he would recognize me. He furrowed his brow again, refocusing on my eyes. I forced them to turn into their human color and suddenly realization struck his face. "Luna...?" He sounded heartbroken, as if he'd missed me a lot. "Is that you baby girl?" He stroked my cheeks and I yipped. 

He breathed out, enveloping me in a hug. I settled my head on his shoulder as he squeezed my shoulders and chest. "You're alive," He chuckled happily. I nodded and nosed his cheek. A small drop of water hit my nose and I looked up at him with big eyes. 

He laughed slightly, wiping his face on his sleeve. That was the only tear he allowed to fall. Stroking my face one more time, he kissed my head. "I always knew you would make a beautiful she-wolf..." He muttered, mostly to himself, as he stood up.

I whined, pushing into his side when he froze. He put a finger to his lips to shush me and then pointed to an old man standing outside the Escalade. Uncle Peter watched him for a second until he turned to look at us. I curled my body around Uncle Peter in a protective stance, a growl slightly rising in my throat. Before it could come out, uncle ran his hand down my back, nudging me with his leg when the aged man looked away. 

By the time the man looked at us again, the only thing he could see was my ashen tails disappearing around the corner of the building. I followed him, training my hearing on everything around us. Deaton said he would be weak; it’s my duty to protect him. 

He stopped on a small bridge, seemingly waiting for something to happen. He crouched down to my level again and I curled up into his lap. "I thought you were dead..." He murmured into my scruff. "What happened to you?" 

I thought back to the night of the fire and finally something hit me.

I was choking on smoke that filled the air. "Luna!" Someone screamed hoarsely. 

"I'm here!" I tried to yell back but it turned into a coughing fit. Suddenly I saw a body making its way through the smoke. Arms wrapped around my shoulders and pulled me up. I looked up into the blue eyes of my Uncle Peter. I clung to him as we made our way through the fire. 

"You're small enough to fit through the basement window-," He started. 

"No!" I cried, coughing. "I won’t leave without you!" 

"You have to! Find Laura and Derek!" He yelled, eyes turning slightly gold as he tried to cough up the smoke. He tried to lift me but I pulled away.

"I won’t go without you!" I screamed and he sighed in frustration. 

"Luna, we don't have time for this!"

"Promise you'll come with me!"

"Luna-,"

"Promise me!"

"Fine, I promise! Now please, let me get you out of here!" He lifted me and I climbed onto his shoulders, kicking out the slot like window. Glass shattered on the ground, slicing me as Uncle Peter pushed me out the window. 

Once I was out, I took a breath of clean air. "Now you!" I called to Uncle Peter who had found a chair to stand on. 

"Alright, hold on," He muttered, sputtering smoke.

"Look out!" A wooden beam came crashing down, swinging and hitting Uncle Peter's side. "Uncle Peter!" I screamed. He wasn't moving. "Please Uncle Peter," I sobbed. "Get up!" I screamed at him. 

We were at the back of the house but I could still hear the hunters on the other side. They sounded happy. 

"Please," I prayed, tears streaming through the soot on my face. "Please Uncle Peter, get up!" I screamed my throat clenching and my voice cracking. His eyes fluttered and he muttered incoherently. "Uncle Peter!" I cried out. He groaned, barely having the strength to throw the beam off of him. I gasped, throwing my hands over my mouth as I saw how badly he was burnt on one side of his body. 

I grabbed his arms and pulled him through the tight window, dragging him away from the burning house. I could hear them screaming. Their dying screams filled my ears and I started crying harder for my beloved family. Who could do this to such innocent people? Sick bastards, that's who. Hunters who have no code. 

After dragging my charred Uncle into the woods, I sat on the ground and cried. Bawled my eyes out. "L-L-Luna?" My uncle struggled to whisper. I nodded my head at him, not trusting my voice. "You need to run..."

"What?" I hiccupped. "Where should I go?" 

"F-find y-your s-siblings..." He croaked. 

"I won’t leave you," I cried, holding onto his arm. He reached his good hand up to stroke my cheek. 

"I l-love you, b-but you n-need to s-survive," Tears leaked out of his eyes and mine dropping onto his arm as I leaned into his palm, holding it close to me. "L-leave me. R-run," He told me firmly. I shook my head no but he pushed on my face. "Go. Run. Now!" I sobbed, leaving my dying Uncle and running into the woods. Tears blurred my vision and I tripped on a tree root and let out a yelp as I fell. 

Something hard hit my head and my mind blanked for a second before I blacked out entirely. 

I lost my memory... I murmured to him. I hit my head on a rock when I was running away. An alpha female found me... 

"By your tone I'm sensing there's more to that story," He replied. I nodded but just lay down by his feet. He smiled sadly and ran his hand down my back. "Well, you don't have to worry anymore, baby girl. I'm back and I'm not going to let anything happen to you," He whispered into my scruff as he wrapped his arms around me. I nuzzled him close, missing this. Missing him. 

I know everyone seems to hate him and Derek is mad at him for something but... aside from Derek, he's the only member of the Hale family that I remember truly loving to bits and pieces. He saved me from the fire, how can I turn my back on him? I've missed him; I can feel it. 

My ears twitched and I suddenly became alert, the hair on my back standing upright. I growled low as I stood up and curled my body around uncle's legs again. He stroked me calmly as he intently watched the old man we saw drag a teenage kid into the river. 

I jumped when the old man held the kid under. I was about to bark but Uncle Peter clamped his hand down on my maw and put a finger to his lips. I gave him a disbelieving look. Are we really just going to let this kid die? Uncle must've heard me because he started moving his fingers in my fur. He stayed silent and observant. I finally realized he was writing something. He's killed innocent people with the Kanima. He got what was coming to him. Well, it still doesn't seem right. 

Uncle just continued to stroke me, as if to tell me to relax. I focused on darkening my color so the man wouldn't see us. He was talking to someone. I jumped when I saw a lizard like creature crawl out from under the bridge. Uncle Peter kept up his rhythmic movements and they seemed to be actually working. Due to my dire wolf size his hand easily reached from my neck to my haunches without bending at all. 

Uncle Peter turned his head slightly in an inquisitive fashion as the lizard like animal raised its hand to the grandfather's. Listening to Uncle's heartbeat made me realize what I'd just witnessed was very bad. "Come on," He whispered, walking into the woods. I followed, only pausing to look back once but... no one was there.


	16. .15

"And that's basically it," I told my uncle as I wrung my hair out. He apparently has an apartment in Beacon Hills so that's where I stayed last night. He grabbed my bag of clothes from the woods and I just now showered as I explained to him everything that had happened to me since the fire.

He got a bit emotional when he learned about Damien and my scars but he somehow kept his cool. "Well, get dressed. It's time we visit my favorite nephew," I nodded and went to the bedroom. 

Dropping my towel to the ground, I slipped on my panties and clasped my bra. I jumped around the room and struggled to put my skinny jeans on. "Jesus Mary, and if I didn't feel self-conscious before," I grumbled to myself, knowing my uncle heard me by the chuckled that sounded from the kitchen. I slipped on my baggy shirt and fluffed my hair that fell in curls around my face, looking in the mirror before I walked out. 

"Ready?" He asked car keys in hand. I nodded in response, walking out the door with him. 

We arrived at the burnt down Hale house but when I went to get out, Peter grabbed my leg. I gave him a curious look but he never turned to face me. "Just wait. Someone's in there with him," I nodded and sat back waiting. The black car blended in with the night making us undetectable to Erica and Boyd as they walked out of the house. I wonder what they were doing here... I thought suspiciously to myself. "Five minutes. Then come get me," I nodded and he got out of the car. 

I waited, trying to listen in when I heard a huge crash. I jumped but checked the time. He'd only been in for 2 minutes. I bit my lip and jiggled my leg, deciphering whether to go in or not. After about 3 more crashes I threw the car door open. I slunk up to the house and pressed my ear against the door. 

"You don't really think I want to be the alpha again do you? That wasn't my finest performance, considering it ended in my death," I heard Peter say. Derek pulled him up by his shirt and I ran into the house about to scream 'Stop!' when Peter yelled at him, "Come on do it! Hit me! I can see that it's cathartic for you. You're letting go of all the anger, self-loathing, and hatred that comes with total and complete failure. I may be the one taking the beating, Derek, but you've already been beaten. So, go ahead. Hit me if it would make you feel better. After all, I did say I wanted to help," Derek let him go but spotted me. He made a sound of disgust before addressing Peter.

"You can’t help me," He stalked off and sat on the stairs. Peter reached out his hand for me and I grabbed his arm, pulling him up off the ground. He looked at me strangely for a second before checking his face in a piece of a mirror. 

"See," He spoke to Derek. "Prime example right here. I'm not healing as fast. Coming back from the dead isn't easy, you know. I'm not as strong as I used to be. I need a pack. An alpha, like you. I need you as much as you need me."

Derek scoffed, "Why would I want help from a total psycho? Besides, you have your little guard dog," He jerked his chin towards me as I stood by my uncle's shoulder. 

"First of all, I'm not a total psycho. And by the way you're the one that slashed my throat wide open. And do you really expect Luna to do anything else but stick with the few people she remembers from her past? Especially when the she-wolf was in control. But, we're all works in progress right? So we need each other. Sometimes when you need help, you turn to people you'd never expect," Peter moved in front of Derek who still kept his head down.

"You tried to build your pack. You tried to prepare for the worst. You weren't ready. Because of it, Gerard is winning. He's taking his time. He's toying with Scott. He's going after your wolves, one by one," Isaac's face fluttered through my mind when Peter mentioned that. "He's relishing in his victory."

"How about you tell me something I don't know?" Derek snapped back, looking up at him.

"Oh, I'm going to. And it's gonna prove why you should trust me. Why you need to trust me. Because I'm going to tell you how to stop Jackson."

Derek suddenly looked interested, "What do you mean? Know how to kill him?"

"Actually... how to save him," Peter smirked. "There's a myth that you can cure a werewolf simply by calling out its Christian name."

"It’s just a myth," Derek blew it off, putting his head back down and playing with his fingers.

"Well, sometimes myths and legends bear a hint of truth. Our name is a symbol of who we are. But the Kanima has no identity. That's why it doesn't seek a pack."

"It seeks a master," Derek cut Peter off, look back up at him. I folded my arms across my chest, pulling my eyebrows together, and pursing my lips. I was confused but interested. I know Derek had been talking to Scott about stopping Jackson but I never asked questions. 

Peter nodded, "And who else grows up with no pack? No identity?"

"An orphan," Derek turned his head away, understanding.

"Like Jackson. And right now, his identity is disappearing beneath the reptilian skin. You need to bring him back." 

"How!" Derek yelled slightly.

"Through his heart, how else?" Peter mimicked his tone. 

"You know, in case you hadn't noticed, Jackson doesn't really have too much of a heart to begin with," Derek was beginning to sound frustrated and I moved a step closer to Peter making Derek scowl at me in response. 

Peter shook his head slightly, "Not true. He'd never admit it, but there is one person. One young lady with whom Jackson shared a real bond with. One person who could reach him. Who could save him."

I furrowed my brow but Derek made a sound of understanding, "Lydia."

"Your best ally has always been anger, Derek, but what you lack most is a heart," Derek's eyes flickered to me. "That's why you've always known that you need Scott more than anyone. And even somebody as burned and dead on the inside as me knows better than to underestimate the simple, yet undeniable power of human love," Derek passed a glance at me and Peter followed his gaze. I gulped. 

 

I stuck next to Peter's side as we followed Derek into the school. My heart sped up a bit as I heard Isaac's voice coming from the locker room. Derek put his hand in front of us as if to tell us to wait. He walked into the locker room. He told what I assume to be Isaac and Scott that we need to talk. Uncle took that as his cue to walk in, me trailing by his side.

"All of us," Uncle Peter said with a small smirk. Scott looked beyond shocked, muttering something under his breath. I really missed something. 

"What the hell is this?" Scott exclaimed and Derek took in a breath.

"You know, I thought the same thing when I saw you talking to Gerard at the sheriff's station. 

"Okay hold on, he threatened to kill my mom. And I had to get close to him, what was I supposed to do?" 

I took a defense step in front of my uncle which made Isaac and Scott look at me questioningly. "I'm gonna go with Scott on this one," Peter said with a shrug. "Have you seen his mom?" Isaac gave him a weird look. "She's gorgeous," I turned my neck around towards him and scrunched my forehead. He winked at me while Derek and Scott told him to shut up. A growl rose in my throat but he grabbed my wrist and shook his head slightly, rolling his eyes at them. 

Isaac finally voiced the question that was swimming in his eyes, "Who is he?" 

"Peter, Derek's uncle," Scott replied. "Little while back he tried to kill us all and then we set him on fire and Derek slashed his throat."

Everyone ignored my look of utter confusion as Peter raised his hand and said, "Hi."

Isaac pursed his lips for a minute, "That's good to know." 

"Ditto," I muttered under my breath earning a chuckle from my uncle. 

"How is he alive? And Luna, what are you doing?" Scott questioned. 

"Look, the short version is he knows how to stop Jackson. And maybe how to save him," Derek said, ignoring Scott's last comment. Isaac and Scott shared a look. 

"Well," Isaac spoke up. "That's very helpful except Jackson's dead."

Uncle tensed, his eyes becoming alert, "What?" Derek questioned. 

"Yeah, Jackson's dead, it just happened on the field," Scott informed us.

Derek turned to look at Peter who put his head to the side, mouth slightly ajar. What he does when he's processing information. "Okay, why is no one taking this as good news?" Isaac asked. 

Uncle let out a breath, "Because if Jackson is dead, it didn't just happen. Gerard wanted it to happen," Scott and Isaac suddenly developed a nervous aura. 

"But why?" Derek questioned, looking back at Peter. 

"Well that's exactly what we need to figure out," Uncle said, moving forward. I shadowed his steps, staying by his side in a defensive stance. "And something tells me the window of opportunity is closing. Quickly." 

 

We walked back into the Hale house and Scott let out a relieved breath and said something about Stiles.

"Look, I told you I looked everywhere," Derek spoke to Peter who was walking towards the staircase. I put myself between Peter and Derek. Derek grabbed my wrist and gave me a look. The we'll-talk-about-this-later look. I rolled my eyes in response. 

"You didn't look here," Uncle said, pulling a board off the steps. Everyone passed confused looks as he pulled out a wooden box. 

"What is that? A book?" Derek asked.

Peter gave him an incredulous look, "No. It’s a laptop. What century are you living in?" Peter muttered sarcastically to Derek who grew a frustrated look. "A few days after I got out of the coma I transferred everything we had. Fortunately, the Argent's aren't the only ones that keep records," Scott's phone rang as Derek, Isaac and I followed Peter to another room. 

Scott rushed in after his call, grabbing Isaac and mumbling something to Derek before leaving.  
Awhile later Scott called Derek to explain the situation. I ignored everybody, looking over uncle's shoulder at the computer. Derek held the phone away from his ear, "They say he's in some kind of transparent casing made from the venom coming out of his claws.”

"That sounds officially terrifying," Peter muttered back, eyes not straying from the computer screen. 

"They also say he's starting to move," Peter pretty much ignored that statement as he clicked on something and finally found what we were looking for.

"Okay, look, I think I found something. Looks like what you're seeing from Jackson is just the Kanima's beta shape," Derek put down the phone to look. 

"Meaning what? It can turn into something bigger?" 

Peter leaned back in his chair and my eyes widened immensely, "Bigger and badder." 

"He's turning into that," Derek's voice rose slightly in fright. "That, has wings."

"I can see that," Peter gulped. 

Derek raised the phone back up to his ear, "Scott bring him to us."

Scott answered but I was watching as uncle found an animation of the creature, "Look, someone actually made an animation of it," He told Derek. "Maybe it's less frightening if we-," He tapped on it and a vicious screeched filled my ears, making all three of us jump back. Peter quickly shut the laptop. "Nope, not at all," He stated, fear lacing his voice. He looked up at Derek, "We should probably meet them halfway."

Derek picked up the phone again, "Scott, get him out of there, now!" Peter jumped up and grabbed his jacket. I quickly followed him, fear and worry running through my veins. Ana must've shielded me a lot from the outside world because that creature scared me to the core. I had no idea those kinds of things were out there... 

"Derek, we need Lydia," Peter persisted. 

"There's no time for-!" Derek protested but uncle cut him off. 

"That's the problem. We're rushing. We're moving too fast. And while everybody knows that a moving target is harder to hit, here we are, racing right into Gerard's crosshairs," Derek took a breath and by the look in his eyes I knew Peter was right. 

"If I get the chance to kill Jackson, I'm taking it," Derek said firmly. 

Instead of doing the smart thing and taking the car they decided to run. That was about the time I figured out I am severely out of shape. "Looks like someone needs to hit the track," Derek chuckled in my ear. I glowered at him trying to claw his shoulder but Peter grabbed my arm.

"Down puppy girl," He murmured in my ear. I narrowed my eyes at him but huffed and continued.   
Peter and I hid behind the side of a building when he smelt a hunter. Derek ran on all fours towards Scott, Isaac and the hunter. He did a front flip in the air and landed perfectly, lifting his head and showing them his Alpha eyes. Uncle rolled his eyes muttering, "Someone certainly enjoys making an entrance," A small crossed my lips and I bit my lip in an attempt not to laugh. 

We watched as Derek mouthed off to the hunter and then addressed the Beta's. I trailed behind Peter as we followed them into the building. He brought out his claws which made me tense. "Be prepared, sweetheart," That was my subtle indication to shift. I grumbled about it but stripped down to my undergarments, listening as my name was mentioned. 

"Where are they?"

"Who?"

"Peter, Luna, and Lydia," I couldn't listen to the rest of the conversation as I put my arms out to the side and rolled my wrists, closing my eyes and breathing in. Peter watched me out of the corner of his eye and I sensed intrigue wafting off of him. I shifted into my large white wolf and stood by his side. My breath caught in my throat and almost produced a bark as the Kanima dug its claws into Derek's chest and lifted him off the ground. 

A whimper escaped me but uncle grabbed my scruff, a clear warning to not engage. It threw him across the room and I pawed at the ground, hoping to god uncle would let go of me. He hushed me and when I looked back Isaac had two arrows in his chest. This time I did bark but it was masked by gunfire. 

Scott grabbed Isaac and started dragging him away as the first hunter shot at the Kanima. Peter and I watched as the Kanima grabbed the hunter’s gun. The hunter ran from the Kanima and pulled out a knife, trying to protect himself but the Kanima easily overpowered him. 

Suddenly something moving near us caught my eye and I saw Derek flip over some boxes and land in his Alpha form. I almost yipped in excitement. "See, what did I tell you?" Peter murmured to me. I whipped my head around to him and growled slightly. He just smirked and chuckled. 

I heard claws come out and I looked over and yipped as Scott was in his wolf form with Isaac by his side. Peter rolled his eyes. "You obviously underestimate the powers of healing..." Peter muttered. I chose to ignore him this time and pay attention to my surroundings. 

The three wolves attacked the reptilian creature and both Peter and I flinched back when it slashed Derek again. Isaac almost had it but it overpowered him. Luckily it kept him busy long enough for Derek to surprise attack it in the back. "Damn-it," Uncle cursed under his breath when it overpowered Derek once again. He huffed impatiently as it slashed Derek for the third time tonight. I was about to go out there and have my way with the thing. See how it likes a pissed off she-wolf. 

Isaac seemed to notice Derek on the ground and was about to attack the Kanima again when a dark haired girl stepped up to him and started slashing him with knives. A growl rose in my throat as I barked but Peter grabbed my scruff again. "Hush," He growled in my ear. I lifted my head up to hit him lightly in the forehead. "Still as spunky as ever," He muttered.

I was about to attack the bitch but the Kanima beat me to it. He grabbed her by the throat, and the old hunter stepped out of the shadows. They began talking but I ignored them, letting a whimper slip through my muzzle as I focused in on Derek and Isaac. I pawed at the ground but uncle dug his nails into my scruff, dragging me back to his side. Isaac lifted his head to say something and I could tell Derek was listening intently. I couldn't stand still any longer and paced around my uncle. He rolled his eyes but jumped when I nipped his ankle lightly. 

I froze in place when Scott grabbed Derek by his neck, hauling him up off the ground. Derek tried to reason with Scott but I could sense his pain and it killed me that all I could do was paw at the concrete ground. Scott pulled Derek's head back which caused his jaws to open. Peter sucked in a breath but as for me I couldn't figure out what was going on. The old hunter lowered his arm into Derek's mouth and Scott jerked Derek's jaws, causing Derek to bite the hunter. 

I though hunter's killed each other if they're bitten? I looked up at my uncle and he bit his lip, not looking away from the scene. Something is very wrong here. 

Scott dropped Derek to the ground and watched the old man intently. I got the sense that he knew something no one else did. The old man lifted his arm in the air but... he started bleeding black. Peter crouched down, "What the..." That was when I realized his wolf teeth were out. The old hunter started bleeding black everywhere. Eyes, nose, ears... it was disgusting. He choked for a minute before spewing black fluid. Everyone looked somewhere between disgusted and confused. 

He ordered the creature to kill everyone but a jeep came crashing through the building. The Kanima jumped on the hood and the two people jumped out. Stiles came running over to Scott but the redhead screamed to the creature. He slowly turned back to his human form which made uncle very happy. Derek on the other hand took this as an opportunity to attack. And apparently so did my uncle. He jumped over me and I gave him a bark to which he ignored entirely. He and Derek dug their claws into Jackson and lifted him off the ground, slowly killing him. 

I slunk over to them and watched with interest. They let him go and I moved back with Peter. The redhead ran over to Jackson while Isaac moved towards Derek. Derek put a hand on his shoulder and pulled him back towards him. 

Peter nudged my shoulder with his hip and jerked his head towards the door. I slipped out with him, noticing he had grabbed my clothes. I heard a roar as we made our getaway. Peter smirked, "Mission accomplished." 

 

The sun finally shone over the town and I was glad that this night had ended. Isaac, Derek, Peter and I all walked back to the Hale house but uncle sighed when he noticed a symbol on the door. I had seen one like it somewhere before but I just couldn't place it. "You haven't told him everything yet, have you?" Uncle rolled his head to look at Derek. 

Derek looked down and Isaac asked, "What do you mean?" 

Uncle let out an inaudible breath and leaned his back against a tree, "Why do you think Derek was in such a hurry to build his pack? So eager to strengthen his power and his number? When there's a new alpha," He jerked his head to the symbol on the door, "people take notice."

"People like who?" Isaac wondered aloud, "What is this?" He stepped up onto the porch and pointed at the symbol, "What does this mean?" 

Derek stepped closer to him and answered, "It's their symbol. And it mean they're coming," Oh great. More drama. 

"Who?"

"Alphas."

"More than one?"

"A pack of them."

"An Alpha pack," Peter clarified, "And they're not coming. They're already here," Well fuck.


	17. .16

I rapped my knuckles lightly on Derek's open door. He looked up and I smiled, leaning on the door frame, "Hey," I greeted softly.

"Hi," He replied, looking back to his book. 

I sighed, walking a few feet further into his cart. He didn't move from his spot on the bed. "Can we talk?"

"We have nothing to talk about," He said simply, turning the page in his book. 

"Derek..." I pleaded. He sighed, doggy earing his page and closing his book. He sat it on his makeshift nightstand and stretched a bit. He turned his attention towards me and I took that as my queue to speak. "Look, I'm sorry I took his side I just-,"

"You remembered how safe you felt with him. She picked up on that emotion and followed its drive," he cut me off, referring to my wolf, "I know. I get it."

I looked at him, almost dumbfounded for a minute, "You're not... mad?" He rolled his eyes a little and slightly shook his head. "Oh," I fumbled with the hem of my tank top. I had come barefoot as well. 

"So is that it?" He asked, "Is that all you wanted to talk about?" I nodded my head, keeping my eyes on the ground. "Then I guess we're done here," He stated and I nodded again, turning to leave. He chewed on his lip for a minute as if deciphering whether to say something or not. "Luna, wait," He called and I turned to look at him. "What," he cleared his throat uneasily, "What do you remember about," he rubbed the back of his neck like he really did not want to talk about this, "the summer of '09?" 

My eyes flitted around the room before I answered, "I know it was the year of the fire..." Partial truth. Hey at least I didn't lie. 

He took a step closer to me, "What else?" 

"Nothing much," I lied, taking a step back. A small smirk quirked up Derek's lips, he knew he was going to win this game; I was always a very lousy liar. 

"Oh really?" He raised his eyebrows, continuing to step closer to me as I stepped back. He could make me lose all focus with his touch. Soon enough I backed into the wall, wincing slightly when my not-quite-healed back hit the wall. He braced his hands on either side of my head, leaning close to my face, "You're really quite a terrible liar, Luna..." He breathed next to my ear. I'm surprised my legs hadn't turned to jelly yet. 

I chewed on my lip, tasting salt for some reason. Closing my eyes and taking a deep breath I saw memories of that summer. Playing in the water with little Cora, Derek jumping off the dock and soaking me, me getting mad and trying to chase him in the water but he used his wolfy powers to evade me. I remember laughing. That was the year that Derek and I became inseparable. 

I pushed lightly on his chest, a tear slipping out of my eye. I wiped it away and he backed up letting me walk into the main area. I looked up through the skylight to see the sun shining down. "I remember the beach. The warm sand that engulfed my toes. I remember the salty breeze the came off the water and blew my hair around. I remember the warm, salty water that I could've spent all day in. I remember splashing about and racing each other to the end of the dock and me always being the last one to jump in. 

"I remember when I swallowed water and you were the first one to dive after me. I remember when the storms rolled in and we'd still be out in the water even though mom would scream at us to get out because we would be electrocuted. I remember not caring. 

"We danced in the rain and held bonfires. You tried to learn how to play guitar and you would practice one song until you got it absolutely perfect. 

"I remember wrestling and how I kicked your legs out from under you and we went rolling down the beach until you stopped us at the water's edge. I remember you were the one on the bottom," I smiled and I heard Derek puff a laugh from behind me. 

"I remember how Uncle Peter dragged us Kayaking and when we got back we dropped face first on the sand and cried that our arms were going to fall off. 

"I remember the late night movies that I used to sneak into your room to watch. I remember the time dad caught us and we got grounded for a week. Mom made it more like 3 days. 

"I remember trying to make breakfast by myself one morning because I overslept and I not only burnt myself on the stove but the toaster oven burst into flames and I ran around the kitchen screaming, 'The toaster ovens on fire! The toaster ovens on fire!' I remember you pulled it away from the wall and unplugged it before throwing it outside. You made me pancakes after. You were trying to be cool and flipping them off the pan and catching them in midair until one landed on your face.

"I remember going with you to put out the trash one night and I was almost attack by a rabid raccoon. I remember hearing its skull crack from how hard you hit it. I had to put an ice pack on your knuckles for the rest of the night. 

"I remember exploring our little private beach and how we made our own little bridge across a running brook. I made you find a tree and tip it over so we could tightrope across it. I remember how many times you slipped and fell and mom told you each time when you complained about me not falling that girls have more grace than boys. I held that against you for the longest time. 

"I remember how you and I rode the jet-ski to the Charity Dinner and we drove away on it when we got bored. I remember how infuriated dad was. I remember that he punished us by not letting us go to dinner the next night and how he took away the keys. I remember that they were gone for five and a half hours because not only was the restaurant packed and they forgot their reservations but there was a concert at the stadium up the street and they got stuck in the traffic..." My face fell for a moment.

"I remember what we did that night. You said it was a day we'd never forget. June 21, 2009. We carved it into our tree the next day. Oh the hours we'd spend sitting under that willow. I remember when the spider crawled on me and I screamed for a good ten minutes while you and I tried to get it off. I remember how you laughed the entire time. 

"I remember mom... she looked so beautiful that summer. I followed her into the woods one morning and I saw her shift into her beautiful black wolf and I remember telling myself that I wanted to be like her. Strong, brave, fierce. But... I'm none of those things now... I'm just broken..." Hands held both of my shoulder comfortingly and Derek turned me around and pulled me close to his chest. 

He kissed my forehead and murmured to me, "You are every one of those things. You are the spitting image of her. I mean, for some reason you look like her, an-and talk like her and just act like her," I looked up at him and he brushed my hair behind my ear and wiped away a stray tear on my cheek. "You're beautiful and talented like her. You even turn into a wolf like her. I know that she would be so proud of who you are and all the struggles you've overcome," He kissed my cheek.

"I know that she loved you like her own and you know what love, you were. We all loved you so much..." his voice cracked as he murmured almost inaudibly, "I loved you so much..." I reached my hand up to cup his cheek in my hand. I smiled when he leaned into it, closing his eyes and covering my tiny hand with his own larger one. I tear slid down the side of my hand as he reopened his pale green orbs. 

"What happened to your eyes?" I questioned him but he just looked confused. "They were such a bright and vibrant green but they're so pale and bland now..."

His lips tilted up slightly and he puffed air out of his nose, "I lost everything that was ever important to me. My family, my love. Every time another tragedy happened in my life I guess I lost a little light."

"You died a little inside..." I mused, rubbing my thumb over his cheek bone. I nibbled on my lip as he and I stared into each other's eyes. God I want to kiss him so bad... 

"So do it..." My heart skipped a beat when I realized I spoke aloud but none the less I closed my eyes and got up on my tippy toes. Even then he still had to bend a little for our lips to meet. Mm, I missed him. I missed his touch, his kiss, his taste... I missed everything about him. 

Our lips danced together as we both got accustomed to each other's rhythm again. He slid his hand under my shirt and rested his immeasurable palm on my lower back, lifting me up just a bit higher. 

He soon became hungry. He licked my bottom lip but I had forgotten about his impatience. I didn't react quickly enough for him. He gripped my skin and nipped my lip, his wolf teeth nicking it. As soon as I breathed in for a gasp, his tongue was there. He didn't waste time romantically exploring my mouth; he already knew every inch of it. He roughly awoke my tongue, plunging us into a fiery tango. 

He slid his other hand down my side, grabbing the back of my thigh and hefting me up. I caught on quickly and wrapped my legs around his waist and raised my hands to grab at his short black hair. Our lips never parted as he stumbled to his room, still having a one hand hold on my back as he kept the other out to keep us from running into things.

Once in his room, he kicked the door shut, slamming me against it as he dominated my mouth. A few moans escaped our lips and he had to brace one hand on the door beside my head. He held tightly to my waist with the other hand, holding me up by pushing his weight against me. I tugged at his scruff which made him break the lip contact. His chest vibrated as a covetous growl erupted out of his throat. 

I breathed heavily as his lips made their way down my neck. He nipped along my collar bone and back up my neck as I moved my hands around in his hair, my nails grazing his scalp. His lips moved to behind my earlobe and I resisted the urge to bring my shoulder up and flinch away. He nibbled and sucked on the skin there and I let out a cacophonous moan when he found my sweet spot. 

I could feel the smirk that lifted his lips as he caressed my collarbone and nibbled lightly on my neck. My hand found its way to the front of his hair where it's thickest. I pulled it back roughly earning a growl from him that I returned. He roughly pulled me away from the wall and just as quickly threw my down on the bed. He landed between my legs and ran his hand up my inner thigh, caressing it ever so softly. 

Another fulminating moan escaped my lips and he rocked his hips into mine in response. His lips found mine once again and our tongue's played their deadly dance. I tugged at the hem of his shirt and it was easily whipped off his body in response. I tried to immerse my hands in his black locks once more but he growled low and warningly as he grabbed my wrists and pinned them above my head with one hand, taking away my control. 

He always had to be in control. He slid his other hand up the back of my shirt and easily unclasped my bra. I rubbed my calf against the back of his leg and let out a small, obeying moan. 

With my shirt and bra discarded, I whined, hooking my big toe in his belt loop and tugging. He grunted, shoving my leg down by my knee. I yipped at him, nipping his lip. His teeth came down hard and scolding on my clavicle and I yelped. He nudged under my chin with his nose before shimmying out of his jeans. My shorts were quickly discarded of after. All that remained between us now was his boxers and my panties. 

My diminutive body fit right into his stalwart one and I took that as a sign that this is right. He breathed heavily and dropped his head next to my ear, "Are you sure you’re ready?" 

I laughed slightly, "I think we would have more clothing on if I wasn't," He chuckled with me and with one last quick kiss, our undergarments were removed and I once again fell even more in love with Derek Hale.


	18. .17

I was warm, though a draft was hitting my arm. Something itched against my back and my eyes opened slowly. Looking up, someone's breath hit my face. My vision cleared and I smiled. He looked truly peaceful. He sniffed and his eyes fluttered open. He smiled down at me and brushed my hair behind my ear, kissing my forehead. "Good Morning, beautiful," He breathed, bringing me closer into his chest by the arm that was wrapped around my waist.

I giggled, "It's three in the afternoon," He laughed with me, stealing a quick kiss. His arm ran up and down my back, probably checking for where he might have scratched me. It was almost like the first time we did it. I'll admit, even though Derek was incredibly gentle and careful, it still hurt. Damien had always been very rough with me. 

But Derek's touch... it's as if the pain simply disappeared when he touched me. I snuggled further into his chest, reveling in the warmth he provided. He continued to rub my back, kissing my hairline occasionally. The draft in the station blew across my arm that was out of the sheet. I almost fell back asleep when I heard a door slam and feet pounded down the wooden stairs. Derek and I shared a wide eyed look before simultaneously whispering, "The kids!" 

He threw the covers back and we jumped out of the bed, scrambling to find our clothing. "Derek?" I heard Erica call. 

"Just a minute!" He yelled back, slipping on his jeans and doing the belt. 

I found my panties and slipped them on along with my shorts. "Derek, where's my bra?" I whispered to him. 

"I don't know!" He snapped back, putting on a grimy tank top. I huffed, finally finding it under his long sleeve button down that was cast aside on the floor like everything else in his cart. I saw my shirt by the doorway of the cart and to go get it would be putting myself into view. Derek seemed to notice my dilemma, "Just put that on," he gestured to the shirt I had found my bra under. I nodded and slide it on, hurrying to do the buttons. 

Derek looked at me and I nodded as if to say, 'go first.' He casually walked out of the cart and I waited until I heard him talking to Erica and Boyd. I snuck out, getting to the kitchen without being noticed. Or so I thought. "What's with the shirt?" I jumped at the sound of Isaac's voice. 

"I um, I uh, He, I, um..." Isaac laughed at my nervousness. 

"What did you guys have sex or something?" He laughed and I put my head down, a slight blush on my cheeks. His laughter died awkwardly when he saw my face. "You did, didn't you?" He asked, but it was more like a statement. I nodded softly, letting my fringe cover my eyes. He made a sound of disbelief and dropped his head. 

"Isaac-," I stepped forward but he raised his hand. He took a deep breath and looked up, slightly shaking his head. "Isaac, please-."

"Don't," He stopped me again. "Just please don't Luna."

"I'm sorry, I just-," He cut me off again.

"Stop!" His voice scared me a bit. He sounded so unbelievably angry. He looked up again and closed his eyes. I saw a tear slip down his face and he sniffled. It hurt me to know that I caused this. But... Isaac's my best friend; I don't know why he's so upset. 

He puffed out a humorless laugh and wiped his face. "I'm so stupid," He said, more to himself than me. "I actually thought you liked me. I actually thought we had something..." I opened my mouth but he turned away from me. "I should've known," He sighed. "I should've known you'd lead me on..."

"Isaac..." A tear ran down my face and his but no more words could escape my mouth. He puffed again walking off to his cart. 

I wanted to run after him. Tell him I hadn't led him on. Assure him that I'm not like that. Do something to reassure him but... my feet were cemented to the ground I stood on. 

Arms wrapped around my waist and a playful kiss was placed on my neck but I couldn't stop staring at where Isaac had stood. I couldn't help feeling incredibly guilty. Obviously he thought you were more than friends... She snickered in my head. I growled inaudibly but I know Derek raised his brows. "What's wrong, love?" I took in a deep breath but let it out, lowering my head and shaking it slightly hoping to hide the tear that slipped down my face. "Luna..." Derek said sternly, lifting my chin and turning me in his arms. Seeing my face his expression softened and he wiped the tear away, bringing his other hand up to cup my face. His palms covered my cheeks and he stroked under my eyes with his thumbs. "What's wrong?" He just sounded worried now. 

I sniffled, pushing him away. "I hurt him."

Derek looked confused, "Hurt who?" 

"Isaac," I breathed, tears dripping off my cheeks. "I hurt, Isaac," I started to sob and my legs finally gave out. Derek's heart beat faster as he grabbed my shoulders and caught me before I hit the ground. He lowered me softly as I continued to cry. He pulled me into his lap and held me close. Even now I felt like I was betraying Isaac. And maybe crying makes me a wimp but... I've always hated it when people are mad at me or fight about me. It makes me feel like a terrible person. It probably hurts me and makes me more emotional than anybody else involved. 

I could tell Derek didn't know what to do because he was nervously cooing me and rubbing my arm. I hate hurting people. Especially someone I consider my best friend. 

 

Once again I awoke in Derek's arms. I poked his cheek but he didn't even stir. I carefully wiggled out of his arms and slid out of the bed. I raked my hand through my messy hair. I noticed Derek had changed me into my PJ's. At this point, I didn't care. Even waking up in Derek's arms made me feel bad about Isaac. 

I had no idea that he thought we had something more than a friendship. To be honest, when he saved me I wanted more than a friendship. But... I've known Derek since I was young, I know he'll protect me and I know he loves me. Isaac... Isaac would be an emotional roller coaster. I don't know him like I know Derek. I grabbed my fringe and pursed my lips, screaming quietly.   
I felt overwhelmed with this. I didn't know what to do. I felt as if I had been in a situation like this before but I couldn't place it. 

I roamed into the kitchen. The place I find I go most often when I'm emotional. Walking in I almost immediately turned around. "Isaac," I breathed. He looked up and I could see that he had been crying. Blood ran from his knuckles and into the water. Some of it was his blood but seeing as the wound healed, I couldn't tell just how much was. 

He sniffled and wiped his face with his sleeve. "Hi," He mumbled. I pursed my lips, taking a few cautious steps toward him. 

When I saw that he wasn't moving away, I took a dishcloth and put it under the water, dabbing away the blood matted in his hairline. Gently moving his hair away from the cut I could see it was still open. He winced when I touched it but made no move to get away. 

I closed my eyes and rested my forehead on his shoulder. A tear slipped out of my eye and onto the cotton of his shirt. "I'm sorry," I whispered. He turned his body slightly so he could embrace me. "I'm sorry that I lead you on. I'm sorry that I didn't make our relationship clear to you. And I'm so sorry that I hurt you because I do love you, Isaac. I just..." My voice cracked and I let a sob slip. Isaac held me closer, curling his neck around mine and softly rubbing my back. 

"You don't feel safe with me..." He sighed and I looked up at him. His face softened and his lips tilted up as he wiped a tear away. "I don't really give off the 'safe' vibe do I?" He chuckled and I smiled slightly, burying my face back into his chest. "You've known Derek for a long time and you just feel safe with him. And you probably haven't felt safe for a long time..." I nodded into his shirt, sniffling. He pulled me back by my shoulders to look me in the eye. "I know. I get it. Every time I thought I was safe with my father, I did something that made him mad again. I know how it feels to be abused. Maybe not as intensely as you were but I know some of what you feel," he ran his hands down my arms and enveloped my tiny hands in his, "How we felt. The feeling of never being safe. It sucks. I'm not mad at you. I love you. Maybe not in the same way you love me but... I'm ok with that. And I can live with that but, Luna..." he lifted my chin, "I can’t live without you. Please," he pressed his forehead against mine, "Never leave me," I nodded slightly, "Promise me?" 

"I promise," I whispered. He smiled and lowered his lips to mine. 

My breath was taken from my lungs. It's like all those story books where the girl kisses her prince charming. It just felt... right. Derek didn't feel like this. This... this was something else. Something I've never felt before. Something amazing...

"What the hell?!" Isaac and I jumped apart. He pushed me behind him in a protective stance as he faced the unbelievably angry Alpha. Derek's eyes were red as he angrily stormed up to us. "What the fuck is going on here?" He growled low and dangerously. I felt most of his anger was directed at Isaac but some was at me. I had basically cheated on him. 

His eyes flickered to me and he pointed to the ground next to him, "Get over here, Luna."

Isaac growled, putting his arm in front of me, "Stay behind me, Luna."

Oh no. They're going to fight over me. "Do not test me right now, Isaac!" Derek snarled. 

"You’re mad. All you'll do is hurt her!" Isaac shouted back, resisting the power Derek's Alpha stare had over him. 

"She's not some fragile little flower! She's a god damn she-wolf!" Their voice rose with every comeback. 

"You don't treat her like she's special. You don't want to protect her. You don't love her!" 

"I want her to be independent!" They growled dangerously at each other and the rage was overpowering them. The wolves were about to come out to play. They were going to get physical. 

Just as they looked like they were about to spring I jumped between them, screaming, "Stop!" They both looked at me, settling in the slightest. "You're pack mates. Brothers. An Alpha is supposed to lead with confidence and love. Not with fear and ascendancy," I looked to Derek and then back to Isaac, "Please," I begged, "Don't fight over something as silly as me."

They both straightened but I still sensed tension. Derek clenched his jaw, "Fine then. If you don't want us to fight over you then you have to choose. Isaac? Or me?" My eyes widened incredulously. 

"You can’t be serious," Isaac pitched in. 

"I am completely serious," Derek annunciated every word. 

"I... I can’t choose," I whimpered, "I love you both." 

"Well you can’t have everything, Luna!" Derek shouted at me, getting angrier by the second. "Make a choice! Now!"

"I can’t!" I cried.

He stepped up closer to me and so did Isaac, only he took a protective stance. "If you can’t make a choice in the next five minutes, I'll make it for you," He growled. It was low and menacing. It sounded like Damien's. I always knew Derek had an anger problem but this is a little extreme... This is not a good time! I snapped back at her in my head. 

Tears ran down my face and fell in heavy blobs on the fabric of my shirt. "Choose!" He shouted, causing me to back up a step into Isaac. 

"Luna...?" He looked at me with sad eyes and I looked between him and Derek several times. 

Tears continued to pour down my face, "I'm sorry," I sobbed helplessly, "I just... I just can’t..." That was when I did the only thing I knew how to do in a situation like this - the only thing I had been taught to do. 

 

I ran.


	19. .18

Isaac’s POV…

4 months later...  
I gave up. We all did. We searched all summer but there wasn't even a trace of her. I knew we should've gone after her right away. But we didn't. Derek said she needed time to cool down. She never came back. I've felt lost. They say you never know how much something means to you until it's gone. I loved love Luna. 

I was so angry in the beginning. She promised me she'd never leave me. I totally trashed the station. I was so angry that it fueled my power and I threw Peter across the room. I made a dent in the wall. We moved out of the station though. The warehouse type place is actually pretty nice all things considered. 

This has not been my week either. Between almost getting killed by a pack of Alpha's, being dunked in a tub of ice water, and chasing Boyd and Cora all over hell and creation on the full moon, I've felt pretty shitty. 

Now I'm late for Cross Country and coach is going to have my head. Walking through the locker room door I was proven correct, "Mr. Lahey, happy to have you back. Not happy that you're late."

"Sorry, coach," I muttered as I walked past him and to my locker. He was lecturing us about Cross Country not being optional but I ignored him and quickly changed. 

 

Tying my shoe at the starting line, unease filled me when two boys stood on either side of me. Looking up out of the corner of my eye I knew it was the Alpha twins that chased me and the girl that night. I was going to kill them. 

Coach blew the whistle but someone grabbed my arm. Whipping around I saw Scott. "Isaac-."

"It's them," I cut him off, slipping out of his grip and running to catch up with the twins. He called to me but I ignored him. 

I was so close to them, but when I rounded a corner, they were nowhere in sight. I stopped and looked around. Suddenly, something slammed into my side, sending me tumbling down a small hill. I was face first on the ground and one of them put his knee in my back and they both pinned my arms and lifted me to my knees.

"Ethan," the taller, broader one said, "I always forget how many bones in the human body?"

"I don't know, let's count," He let out a small growl before something hit him in the face. I looked to see Scott. God I've never been happier to see him. 

"That's one," Scott stated. I was able to slip out of his grip and stand up as the twins growled. Ethan fixed his jaw and the other one brought out his claws and fangs. Scott and I reciprocated accordingly. Then... we heard a scream. 

Scott rushed down to where he heard it and I followed closely, not wanting to get caught alone with them again. There was a boy tied to a tree by his neck. Scott stood next to Stiles who said, "It’s him, isn't it?" 

By the time the Sheriff and deputy arrived I had blanked. Staring intently at the twins while Scott talked to coach. A blonde girl came running over to the scene screaming the dead boy's name. I looked over to the twins again.

"See the way the twins looked at him?" I asked. 

Stiles answered, "Yeah you mean like they had no idea what happened?" 

"No, no, they knew," I remarked, looking back at them over my shoulder as we walked down the hill. 

"The kid was strangled with a garrote, all right?" Stiles argued, "Am I the only one recognizing the lack of 'werewolfitude' in these murders?" 

"Oh you think it’s a coincidence they turn up and then people start dying?" I shot back, gesturing to the twins.

"Well, no, but I still don't think it’s them," He countered. 

At this point we both looked at Scott, "Scott?" I asked, "How 'bout you?" Stiles folded his arms across his chest. 

"I don't know yet," He answered. 

"You don't know yet?" Stiles questioned. 

"Well, he's got a point," Scott nudged his head to me, "Seriously, dude, human sacrifices?" 

Stiles looked flabbergasted, "Scott your eyes turn into yellow glow sticks, okay? Hair literally grows from your cheeks and then will immediately disappear, and if I were to stab you right now it would magically heal, but you're telling me that you're having trouble grasping human sacrifices?"

Scott sighed and looked at me, "That's a good point too."

I didn't miss a beat, "I don't care. They killed that kid; they killed the girl that saved me. I'm gonna kill them too," I turned and walked away from them. 

 

During class, I was thinking about the twins which only made my attitude worse. I was getting angrier by the second. Plus the ever present haunting thought of Luna lurking in the shadows of my mind. Scott was trying to talk to me in chemistry but I wasn't really listening. 

My leg was shaking under the table and finally I just blurted out, "Mr. Harris, can I use the bathroom, please?" He gestured to the door and I bolted out, hearing Scott try and follow me. 

I stepped out of the classroom to find the twins standing in the hallway. I clenched my jaw and stormed towards them when Aiden nailed Ethan in the face. I stopped and became seriously confused. 

Ethan got back up but Aiden struck him down again. Aiden helped him up, only to grab the side of his face and slam him into the lockers. 

Finally he grabbed Ethan by the shoulders and threw him with so much force that he came rolling across the floor to my feet. 

Mr. Harris came barging out of the classroom, "What is this? What's going on?" He looked from me to Ethan.

Danny rushed to Ethan's side to see if he was alright. "He just came at me," Ethan looked up at me with a vulnerable looked as he favored his face. 

"Isaac, what the hell did you do?" Mr. Harris scolded. I rolled my eyes and let out a short breath through my nose. 

Scott looked from me to Ethan almost angrily. The thing is; the anger wasn't directed toward me. 

 

After class, Scott followed me to my locker, trying to ease my rage, "Don't let it bother you. It's just lunch detention. If all they want right now is to piss you off, then don't give in," I passed a glance at him; "They're just trying to get to you."

I looked across from me to see Aiden flirting with Lydia, "It’s not just me," Scott followed my gaze. 

Listening in, anger drifted off of him. Aiden sent him a sly smirk. I stood and looked at him for a second, "What?"

I lifted my lips slightly, "Now they're getting to you." 

Sneakers squeaked on the floor as Stiles slid around the corner, shifting his bag on his shoulders, "Huge, major, enormous, problem!" He panted. 

"What?" Scott and I asked in sync. Stiles grabbed our shoulders and turned us so that we were looking behind him. 

"Look in T-minus 5 seconds," I furrowed my brow but looked over his shoulder anyway. Strutting around the corner with a fully healed Ethan at her flank was a gorgeous black haired girl. She had olive skin, silky black, raven's hair and a beautiful body; nice curves and all. Her eyes were covered by her grey aviators. 

Although I have to say, she looked like a bit of a slut with her fringe bra let top and air tight skinny jeans with huge studded combat boots and a leather jacket. She had a bandanna in her hair and a small silver lip ring. She looked like a biker chick. 

Ethan murmured something to her and she laughed. I froze. I'd know that laugh anywhere. She took off her glasses, hanging them on her shirt. Those speckled cobalt steel eyes met mine and I let out a tiny gasp. She winked and kept walking, smacking her gum with every clop of her boots. 

"Who is that?" Scott breathed. 

"I don't know. It might be like their sister or something," Stiles answered. 

"She doesn't look anything like them though," Scott fumbled. 

"She's not," I choked and they both turned their attentions towards me. I stared silently after Luna. My Luna.

"Do you know who she is, Isaac?" Scott asked. 

"It's Luna. A healthier, curvier, but just as beautiful, Luna. My beautiful, Luna."

 

I couldn't think through the rest of the day. My mind was all over the place. And after hurting Allison in the janitor's closet, I was ready to kill the twins. Although I couldn't get out of my mind what Luna was doing with Ethan. Derek said she's like, 19, which means she's not at school because she wants to be. 

That leaves me with two conclusions. One, she's and alpha and now in Deucalion's pack or two, she is actually related to Aiden and Ethan and they're protecting her. Either way it sucks for me. 

"I need to talk to her," I blurted to Scott. 

He looked at me like I was crazy, "How do you expect to do that? I haven't seen Ethan leave her side!"

"I don't know but we have to try something," I whisper shouted to him. He looked around to see if Aiden was listening in. Thank god he wasn't. 

Scott sighed, "Fine. We need to come up with a plan."

 

"Do you see her?" Scott asked.

"Not yet," Stiles huffed.

Scott groaned, "Stiles you said her locker was right there!" He gestured to the wall of lockers next to the bathroom we were currently hiding in. 

"It is!" Stiles argued back. 

"Stiles, shut up and pay attention," I snapped. He rolled his eyes and crossed his arms, looking back into the hallway. Suddenly he jumped and started making this odd bird sound.

"What are you doing?" Scott asked him and he stopped.

"I thought if we used this like code or-," We both gave him blank looks. 

"Is she coming or not Stiles?" I questioned. 

"Yup she's like right ... here," He leaned against the wall trying to look cool. He smiled and nodded his head at her. Scott and I looked at each other and nodded. 

Disappearing as quickly as we appeared, Scott and I grabbed Luna and shoved her against the wall. She looked a bit surprised but smirked when she saw us. 

"Well this is a mighty fine gang bang, though I thought you boys had a bit more class than a bathroom," She drawled and I growled. 

"This isn't funny Luna! I've been looking for you for four months and here you show up with the enemy!" I hissed at her. 

"Seems like you were lookin' in all the wrong places, darlin'," she smiled sickly, "and what's that thing Sun Tzu once said in The Art of War? I think it was something like," she leaned forward and close to my face until her breath hit my nose, "Know thy enemy..." She said it so slowly and seductively that Scott and I both stumbled back. She made a sound of approval, "Still got it."

"You're different," Stiles said with a confused look on his face.

She mocked happiness, putting her hand on her chest and looking at Stiles, "Why, what a wonderful observation, Stilinski!" She kept drawling in that sickly sweet voice that had so much confidence and sass in it that I was having a hard time believing who she was. 

"Luna..." I pleaded and she turned to me, "My Luna... please," I pleaded.

"Ah ba ba," She waved her finger in the air, smiling at me again, "But I'm not yours anymore, darlin'."

"Then whose are you?" Scott asked, "What team are you playing for?" She turned to him.

"Why I don't believe that's any of your business," Scott got angry. Despite my request on not to be rough with her, he shoved her against the tile wall, growling. She simply smiled at him. She began humming a strange tune and stroked his arm. She tilted her head and looked him in the eye. 

His growl died in his throat and he swayed on his feet, loosening his grip on her. He was unblinking for about a minute. She laughed but it wasn't her. It was a high pitched, scary laugh that I knew couldn't belong to my Luna. 

"I'll give you all a word of warning," She said as she began walking out of the bathroom, "Fear the future, as it is never certain; especially in your cases," She gestured to me and Scott before disappearing. 

"What in the hell...?" I murmured. 

"Scott? Hello? Scott?" Stiles snapped his fingers in front of his best friends face "Are you okay?" Stiles asked him when he snapped out of it. 

"Huh? Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," he shook his head, "Let's go get the twins angry."

 

"Yeah, I wish I could've seen their faces," Scott and I walked down the stairs with our bags after pulling the prank on the twins, "Did they look seriously pissed?" 

He laughed a bit, "Yeah..." We looked up and saw them in the hallway glaring at us which partly left me to question where Luna is, "Kind of like that," Scott said. They both started taking off their shirts and Scott and I exchanged confused looks.

Ethan got down on his knees and Aiden put his fist into Ethan's back. They morphed together to form one giant, sufficiently terrifying Alpha. 

I dropped my bag and rolled up my sleeves, "We can take him."

Scott looked at me like I'd lost my mind, "Are you kidding? Isaac!" Then we ran.

Apparently, even with his size, he's a lot faster than us because I was suddenly lifted by the back of my neck. He slammed Scott and me together before throwing us on the floor. 

He roared at us but soon clicking could be heard behind us. I looked up to see a blind man with a cane. Aiden and Ethan apparently saw him too because they immediately de-morphed and stood without looking at him. 

The man lifted the cap off his cane, revealing a blade tip. He twirled it in his hand for a moment before slicing the twins on their cheeks. 

Not a second later my raven haired beauty came prancing down the stairs and right up next to the blind guy. He put the cap back on and she gave a wink before holding out her arm for him to grasp but he still continued to use his cane. 

The twins stepped aside so Luna and the man could walk in between them. The twins looked at us one more time before following behind them.

"Who the hell is that?" I asked Scott.

He answered without looking at me, "Deucalion."


	20. .19

Derek’s POV…

"Tell me the truth!" I lifted Peter by his shirt and shoved him against the wall. 

"I already did!" He shouted back at me, coughing. I growled and threw him across the room. Cora jumped in front of me and pushed on my chest. 

"Derek stop!" I pushed her out of the way, making her stumble back. Peter was still on the floor coughing. 

"Get up!" 

"Derek, just listen!" 

"No! Enough! Tell me the truth!" 

"Okay, okay, fine," He stood up and leaned against the wooden beam trying to catch his breath, "What do you want to know?"

"Everything. What did Deucalion mean about Luna and my mother?" 

Peter let out a breath and then chuckled humorlessly, "That story... where to start?"

"Try the beginning," I folded my arms across my chest as Peter walked over to the window. 

He sighed again, "Your mother... my sister... let's just say Luna wasn't an accident."

"What does that mean?" 

"Would you let me finish? This isn't exactly my favorite story to tell..." He grumbled, putting the side of his fist against the glass, "She wasn't... adopted. Your mother was... protecting her."

"Yeah I know. From her psychotic father."

"But what I'm saying is... she lied about the mother being in protective custody."

Now I was confused, "Then where was her mother?"

He turned to look at me. I'd never seen this look on Peter's face. It was morose and pained, "Talia is her mother."

My mouth opened and my eyes became confused. I dropped my arms and took a couple steps back, "You mean...?"

"Yes, Derek. Luna is your half-sister," I could've cried in that moment. 

"But... I... I told you about the beach. I - I told you what we did that night!" I shouted at him.

"And didn't I say that it wasn't very smart?!"

"But I never thought..." I was speechless. Utterly dumbfounded. 

"Your mother is pretty good at lying when she's protecting someone, eh?" He chuckled to himself. It was if the memory hurt him, "I didn't even know until you told me she wasn't afraid of your wolf," He slammed his fist against the glass; not hard enough to break it but hard enough to make it shake, "Only then did she let me in on her master plan."

"Did dad know?" Cora shakily spoke up.

"No. No your father never knew. She had help though. In hiding it. That doctor there, Deaton. He helped her."

"How?" I asked but Cora spoke over me.

"If she's our half-sister then she has to at least have some wolf in her. How come she never turned?"

"Sometimes the gene doesn't take in half-bloods," I decided to answer but Peter shook his head. 

"No, no. She was a wolf. Pure and true. But that's where Deaton come in. From when she was little, Deaton made up on her medical records some disease that she had to take a pill every day for-."

"ADHD..." I breathed. 

"Exactly. Only it wasn't Adderall. It was mountain ash," my brow continued to crease as he went on; "Talia gave her mountain ash every day from when she was little to counter act her wolf." 

"But why? Mom fostered plenty of young wolves before, why hide it with Luna?" Cora butted in. 

"Because your father would've known that she wasn't 'a normal wolf'."

"What do you mean?" I asked. 

"Luna is something we call a 'purebred Alpha'. An Alpha that rises to their position when both of their biological parents are dead. Anyone in their parents pack is automatically drawn to their leadership. She is also a she-wolf."

"Aren't all female wolves technically 'she-wolf's'?" Cora asked. 

"No. A she-wolf, like your mother, is a female wolf, usually an Alpha, who is a sort of goddess in the werewolf world. A queen. She-wolf's were originally designated to be queens as they could pretty much control a male wolf. 

"She-wolf's are what brought in the concept of female rulers to the world. A she-wolf was the first female alpha. A she-wolf was the first queen. It all dates back. And Luna, and your mother, they're both from that pure bloodline of she-wolf's that made great strides in history. 

"But, she-wolf's and purebred alpha’s are just about as rare as True Alphas. They only come once in a few hundred years. Luna is both a she-wolf and a purebred alpha. She's a package deal. That's what your mother and I were protecting her from. "

"When she fought me... she didn't fight like she used to. She had this new tactic. I couldn't see her but... she was blind."

Peter nodded, "It’s called ghosting. Her father is a Ghost Wolf. I guess that trait got passed to her."

"What does it mean?" Cora asked. 

"It's a rare skill among werewolves. It's said that only the best fighters are able to obtain the trait. And you have to admit, even before she was a wolf, Luna was a damn good fighter," I considered it and nodded at him. 

"But why does she fight blind?" 

"That's another Ghost Wolf thing. Ever hear the saying, 'If I can’t see you, you can’t see me?' It's the same concept. To a wolf's senses she is basically invisible. 

"The downfall about Ghost Wolves is that they have their own trend of hunters. Ghost Hunters are specially trained to tag and kill Ghost Wolves. They have special equipment giving them the ability to see the wolves. They also dip their arrows in a neurotoxin that is designed to kill ghosts. 

It would have a slight effect on wolves like us but we'd heal quickly. On Ghost Wolves it takes hold of their healing and stops it altogether. Depending on where the hunter hit... the wolf could die in seconds. 

Ghost Wolves are almost extinct. The ones that remain are scattered across the world, blending in with normal packs. Luna is, well was, the only known Ghost Wolf in North America."

"Was?" 

"...Do you know why I didn't die in the fire? Why you didn't die?" He looked at Cora. 

"Dad got me out," She choked. 

He nodded, "Then he couldn't get out, correct?"

"No... He was trying to get other people out..."

Peter nodded again, "That day... there was a reason your mother kept you home from school. Luna too. She felt that you were too young and vulnerable and she was worried someone might... come after you. She trusted Laura to keep Derek safe. She also made me swear on my life that I would protect Luna no matter what. And I did. 

"I pushed her out through the tiny basement window. I knew I would fit. I knew that she would be out there alone. She begged me to come out with her. She made me promise I'd be right behind her. I lied to her when I knew I couldn't keep that promise..." His voice cracked. It sounded like he wanted to cry, "A beam fell on me. Luna screamed and tried everything she could to drag me out. And out of all the impossibilities of it, she did it. But... I told her to run. Run and find you, Derek. It was no coincidence her aunt found her in the woods."

"Whoa, wait, her aunt? What are you talking about?" I stopped him. He cursed under his breath. 

"Anastasiya... was," He choked on the word, "her aunt."

"Was she mom's sister or...?" Cora prodded. Something about Peter's voice when he said Anastasiya hit me right in the feels. It's how I would say Paige. 

"No..." I swear I heard a sniffle but he continued to stare out the window, "She was Luna's father's sister."

"Peter..." I started, "Whose Anastasiya?"

"I just told you!" He barked.

"You didn't say who she was to you," I was gentler than I should've been but this was rubbing me the wrong way. 

"She didn't mean anything to me."

"Now we both know that's a lie," I crossed my arms over my chest and that's when I saw it. In the reflection of the window I saw his cobalt eyes and the single tear that slipped down his face. 

"Oh my Ana..." He murmured so quietly I could barely hear him, "She was my Paige, Derek. She was the love of my life that got ripped away from me for no irrefutable reason," He definitely sniffled this time. He wiped his face on his sleeve. 

"Well that's all well and good, why would Deucalion know anything about Luna?"

"I know you were too young Cora but Derek... do you remember the year your father disappeared. Do you remember how dependent your mother became on stupid things?" 

"Yes," I barely whispered. 

"Well one of those stupid things was Deucalion. Back when he had his sight. Back when he was sane."

"Ok but that doesn't explain why Anastasiya was involved in this," Cant Cora shut up for one minute?

"Anastasiya is Russian. Deucalion is British. I saw no connection between them. But their parents became an Alpha pair. So... technically... they were step siblings..." Oh god, please no.

"Wait... your telling me...?" Cora started.

"Yes. Deucalion is Luna's father." 

 

I stood, looking out my big window at the rain. I was overwhelmed by everything I had just learned. Cora was hiding behind a post as I broke the news to Isaac. 

"I don't get it. Look, did something happen?"

"It’s just not gonna work with both of you here," I hated lying to him, but it was the only way I could protect him, "I've got Cora now. It’s too much. I need you out tonight."

He scoffed in disbelief, "Where am I supposed to go?"

"Somewhere else," I couldn't look at him. I felt like a total douche. 

"Did I do something wrong, Derek?"

Finally I turned around, twirling that glass cup in my hand, "You're doing something wrong right now by not leaving."

"Oh come on."

"Just get out."

"Derek, please," Oh Isaac, don't do this to me...

"Get out."

"Come on."

"Go!" I snapped, hurling the cup at him. He ducked in time for it to miss his face and shatter on the post behind him. Then I remembered something... his father did the same thing. Now I really feel like a douche. 

His heart beat faster as he looked at me; hurt filling his eyes but anger clouding them. He grabbed his bag and stormed out. I leaned on the table, my own heart pounding. I felt so bad but I can’t take it back. I just had to keep reminding myself that I did it to protect him. 

Before he shut the door he looked back at me, "Oh and by the way, Luna's alive."

I looked up at him and nodded, "I know."

He scoffed, "You know she's with the Alpha's too?" I nodded again, "Are you planning a rescue mission or something?" 

I shook my head, "No, Isaac. She doesn't want to be rescued."

"And why is that? She made that quite clear to me today as well, but I can’t figure out why," He said sarcastically. 

I bit my lip, "It would be better if you didn't know."

He scoffed again, "Right, just like it would be so much better to throw me out on the streets in the middle of a storm than to let me stay one more night. You're scared. Of what, I don't know, but you're scared. And worst of all, you've given up. On all of us," and with that, he slammed the steel door shut. 

Cora stepped out and looked at me, "What are we going to do?"

I clenched my jaw and cleared my throat so that I spoke with conviction, "Fight. We're gonna fight."


	21. .20

Luna’s POV…

The elevator door opened and of course, the one and only Scott McCall entered. A smirk grew in my father's face as he asked Scott, "Going down?" A sneer lifted my lips and a quiet, hyena like cackle slipped out. 

I have to act a certain way around my father. Ethan says it just makes him trust me more, which can always work in my favor. My feelings towards Scott haven't changed but Deucalion can never know that.

Scott threw his hand down and his claws came out. I inspected my own fingernails as my father scoffed, "Come on, Scott, put those away. I'd have to be blind, deaf, and quadriplegic for you to be an actual threat," I chuckled slightly, "Besides, if you haven't noticed, I'm not alone," Scott passed a glance at me but stayed focused on Deucalion, "Or maybe you should take a chance," Dad closed his eyes and turned towards Scott, also purposefully putting his shoulder in my way, "Your heart beat is steady. You might be afraid of me, but you're controlling it. Maybe you'd actually rise to the occasion, become an Alpha by killing one," Yeah right! I can’t beat my father and I've been training to fight since I was 8! Dad helped me remember my past. He said the memories were just blocked. 

"I'm not like you," Scott said, "I don't have to kill people."

"Hm. Not yet," If only Scotty knew how fucked up his future was about to get, "But situations come about, situations where you realize the only way to protect one person is to kill another," He moved closer to the door and his eyes flickered to me. I lowered my eyes to the ground for a moment before clearing my face of emotion and stepping up beside him. 

"You want to threaten me? Is that you're here?"

"No," Dad stated with such innocence it scared me, "I live here."

"What?" Scott was dumbfounded.

"We live here," I sneered. My father reached back and scratched my arm. Not hard enough to break skin but to serve as a warning to shut up.

"It's a great building. And the neighbors are surprisingly friendly," They stared at each other for a moment. This is one of those times I truly believed my father could see into your soul.

"What do you want?"

"I want to see what you're made of," He stepped closer to Scott but just then the elevator door dinged.

I melted into my father's side as Scott stepped out and people swarmed in, "Could someone hit the button for penthouse?" I smirked and wiggled my fingers in the air as the elevator closed on Scott. 

 

I could hear the dirt bike roar as Scott drove into the abandoned mall (this town has so many abandoned things). Only... he wasn't alone. He had someone else riding with him. And of course, with the luck of the Russian (which is terrible FYI), it was Isaac. 

"You didn't come alone," My father told Scott. 

"Yeah. This is Isaac."

"I'm not talking about Isaac," My brow creased for a moment and then I heard it.

"No..." I looked at Ethan from where I was hiding, "This is going to turn into Battle Royale."

He nodded at me, "A cluster fuck of massive proportions."

"That's why we bring back up," Aiden growled, silencing us both. Gotta love Aiden and his cranky ass. 'He's such a Debbie downer' I mouthed to Ethan who nodded with a slight eye roll and mouthed back, 'Tell me about it.'

Derek appeared with Boyd and another girl at his flank, "You knew I would do this?" Scott spoke up, "Derek don't. You can’t do this so no one gets hurt. If someone else dies-," The panic in Scott's voice was apparent but Derek cut him off.

Pointing at my father he said, "Him. Just him."

"Just me?" I could tell he had a smirk on his face, "Now, how's a blind man find his way into a place like this all on his own?"

"And here comes the boom..." I muttered to myself as Kali came sliding down the wall and Ennis walked up the lower escalator. I was seriously debating coming out but I knew in the end, I had no choice.

I jumped from my hiding place and slid down the middle of the escalator my father was standing on. I came down like I was riding a half pipe then flipped into an Ariel round-off, landing on the step behind my father. I emitted a snarl as I stood at his flank. 

I could feel Isaac's eyes on me but I couldn't look at him. I lifted my chin and waited for my father, tensing my muscles so I would be able to lunge at any moment. Derek looked up at me and slightly shook his head. 

He made the first move, charging toward Deucalion. Kali struck him down quickly. My orders were simple and clear; I was not to attack until absolutely necessary. I was a last line of defense of sorts. 

I watched this horrible scene unfold and tried to keep my heart steady even though the people I love were tearing each other apart. I finally got a good look at the girl Derek brought and soon realized it was my baby sister, Cora. I gasped quietly, "She's alive." 

"Remember your place, Nikita..." My father warned quietly. Nikita; that's my real name. Nikita Aluna Zakhaev. My aunt pretty much came up with it by herself. It's completely Russian. Ethan calls me Luna, but everybody else refuses to. Ethan's my best friend. He's the one who saved me when Aiden wanted to kill me. He's my brother. 

My heart jumped into my throat and I made an inaudible cry when I hear Isaac let out a yelp. Soon enough my new family over powered my old one. I knew it would happen. And now Derek is going to be forced to do the unthinkable. 

"Kill him. The others can go," Deucalion told Derek. Derek looked at Boyd, helpless on the ground and I knew he wouldn't be able to do it, "You're beaten. Do it, Derek," My father started walking down the steps and I followed, gracefully plodding along at his flank, "Take the first step," I was watching Derek but my eyes were pulled to Isaac. The twins had him by the back of his jacket. 

Pain and worry flashed in my eyes and luckily the twins (more Aiden) didn't notice, but Isaac did. He whispered my name and the breeze that carried the faint sound to me ear caressed my cheek in the process. The twins tightened their grip on him. 

"Are we serious with this kid?" Look at him! He's an Alpha?" Kali insulted Derek, "To what? A couple of useless teenagers?"

"Some have more potential than others," Dad blatantly looked at Scott. 

"Let him rise to the occasion then. What'll it be, Derek? Pack or family?" She stepped harder on Cora's neck and it took everything in me to keep my growl in my head and my expression neutral. 

Suddenly, an arrow whizzed by us. I snarled and tried to jump in front of my father but he put his arm out, grabbing my wrist and bringing me down into a crouch with him. He shouted, "Your eyes! Cover your eyes!" The white film came over my eyes and went back when the arrows had stopped flying. 

In all the commotion, Derek's pack was able to free themselves. Cora ran to Boyd while Scott and Ennis faced off. They ran at each other and crashed together with so much force that they both slid back a few feet. 

Dad lifted his head as I did mine. I gasped quietly when I saw a rare thing; Scott McCall's eyes were red. That's what dad must've been talking about with potential... 

Scott shook his head and his eyes went back to normal. Derek suddenly attacked Ennis. Scott crawled after them, bleeding from his side. They were nearing the edge of the escalator drop. Scott slashed Ennis' ankles and my whole world fell apart. 

"No!" I screamed, trying to get up. My father gripped my arm tighter and held me to him. His grip was tight enough to leave a bruise. I heard the impact and a silent tear ran down my face. By the look on Scott's face, I knew we had lost them both. 

 

"Shouldn't we tell her?"

"No, wait for your brother. He handles her best."

"Won’t she notice Kali?" Aiden and my father conversing quietly in the kitchen while I sat on the couch watching TV. I was trying really hard to listen in and it wasn't exactly easy. Not only was the TV a distracting noise but they were so damn quiet! I still didn't know what they were talking about but I know it has to do with me. 

"I'll handle her, Aiden. I just don't think it's best to tell Nikita without Ethan. He is her fall back."

"We shouldn't have let him go."

"Someone had to watch the Beta's."

"I should've gone."

"But you handle Kali best," Aiden cursed under his breath. Dad put his hand on Aiden's shoulder, "It was a lose-lose situation. I took a calculated risk. Just wait, alright?" Aiden nodded and dad patted his shoulder before walking out.

He sat down next to me on the couch and patted my thigh before leaning back, "Dad... what aren't you telling me?" He smiled grimly and kissed my forehead but never answered me. Ugh, where's Ethan when you need him?


	22. .21

We pulled up on the motorcycle and I slipped off my helmet, shaking out my hair and running my fingers through it. Ethan got off and I looked in the mirror, puckering my lips at it, "You look beautiful as always," Ethan held out his hand to me and I took it, swinging my leg over the bike and winking at a couple of morons who were staring, "Although a different choice of clothing might've helped..." Ethan muttered in my ear so Aiden couldn't hear. I shrugged, taking a quick glance down at my outfit. 

"Might as well flaunt what I got."

Ethan grunted, "That's a little too much 'flaunting' for my taste," I rolled my eyes and dropped his hand. I slipped past Aiden's shoulder and took my place between the guard dogs. My sandal's shrunk me down to 5'6" so I was only about the height of their chests. I usually wear heels so I can pull off 5'8" or 9". That puts me closer to my father's height. 

The bell rang and sadly I had first period with Aiden. He is one sour wolf I'll tell you. He grabbed my forearm and pulled me close to him before sliding his hand around my waist, "I don't need to be on a leash, Aiden," I remarked. 

He lowered his head to my ear, "I have one job. Protect you. I will do my job how I like," he growled. 

I rolled my eyes and he shoved in into a seat, sitting in the one behind me. Ms. Blake from English walked in, "Good morning. As you all know Mr. Harris is still missing- I mean, sick. Anyway, I'm filling in while we all hope and pray for a more qualified substitute to take my place. Okay, so let's get started, shall we?" She took out the role sheet and started. 

Usually I'd make a snide comment but I remember this is Aiden, not Ethan. Aiden would probably growl at me. If he was allowed to hit me, he probably would. Like I said, he's a sour wolf. 

"Umm... Nakata? Za-," I cut her off. No one can ever say my name.

"Nikita Zakhaev," I pronounced correctly. She nodded at me and moved on.

 

After class Aiden wouldn't let me go until Ethan was there to take me. Ethan, being the cooler one, said he had to run to his locker for a minute and would meet me in class. Now had I known that that would backfire on me, I would've gone with him. Once again, I was pulled from the hallway and into the men's bathroom. 

"Is this going to become a regular thing? Should I pencil it into my schedule?" I asked Isaac as he pinned me against the wall. 

"I know you were there."

"Oh how very observant of you. Obviously I was hiding clearly enough," I sneered sarcastically.

"I don't mean at the mall! I mean at the bank. You know, where they held Cora and Boyd for 3 months!" He yelled at me.

I dropped my head, "I didn't know it was Cora. I thought it was Erica and Boyd. And if you haven't forgotten they tried to kill me."

"The point is that you were there. I saw you with Deucalion. What is it with you and him? Are you like his personal guard dog or something?" 

I chuckled humorlessly, "Yeah something like that. And by the way, you’re welcome."

"For what?"

"I'm the reason you're alive, dipshit. I asked him not to kill you. I sent that girl to save you. Kind of."

He looked stunned, "What does kind of mean?"

I hesitated, "I... asked someone to help me save you and... they sent the girl."

"Well she's dead by the way."

"Yeah. I know."

He backed up, releasing me from his hold. He looked stressed. He ran his fingers through his cropped curls. There was an awkward silence, "Why do you dress like that?" He finally broke it.

"Like what?"

"Like a slut," Ouch. Well I guess he is kind of right, "I'm sorry. I-I didn't mean that," He reached out for me. I backed up a step. 

"No, no... You have a point. I just never really thought of it." 

He bit his lip and stared at me for a minute before he muttered, "Oh, fuck it," and with that he stormed towards me, grabbed my hips and pulled me in for a kiss. I was honestly stunned for a moment. I almost didn't kiss back; but soon the familiarity of Isaac set in. 

You know how they say true loves kiss can break any curse? Or how, if he's the right one, sparks will fly? Well both of those things happened to me. I suddenly forgot about my life and everything and everybody in it. It was just me and Isaac here in this moment. Not only did sparks fly, but cannons were set off and fireworks cracked in the air. It was utterly amazing.

He pulled away and we both gasped for air. He put his fingers in his hair and made a slight sound of amazement, "Damn. I knew it.

"What?"

"My Luna is still in there somewhere," he looked up at me with slight tears in his eyes. 

"Isaac..." I walked up to him and put my hand on the side of his face, stroking the pad of my thumb over his features, "I never left..." I was about to kiss him when my phone buzzed and I remember; Ethan, "Shit," I mumbled, "I have to go. The twins will be looking for me."

He nodded, "Go."

"Isaac?"

"Yeah?"

"Send him my love," he nodded again, "protect him, but be careful. It is Kali."

He smiled cockily, "When am I not careful?"

I rolled my eyes, "Please tell me that was rhetorical."

He shrugged and winked. I was about to walk out when I pursed my lips and then bit my bottom one, "Fuck it," I whispered. Running back I slammed my lips onto Isaac's and held his face in my hands. When I pulled back he was dazed. I laughed slightly, backing up and out of the bathroom. Slipping my purse strap over my shoulder, I walked down the hall, listening for the four words that made my heart skip a beat, "I love you, Luna."

Walking back to class, I noticed Scott and Stiles re-entering the school. Isaac and Boyd slipped out after them. I know Isaac and Boyd are protecting Derek from Kali but what else is going on that I don't know? I furrowed my brow and jumped when a hand touched my back. 

A cute chuckle filled my ears, "Sorry, Hun. I didn't mean to scare you, “I relaxed. Ethan, "Aiden and I have to go do something. Be careful and we'll see you later okay?" I nodded and he smiled but then seemed to remember something, "Oh, do you have your phone on you?" I nodded again, "Is it on?" 

"I think so, why?" 

"You just didn't answer my text is all..." He muttered as he waved goodbye and then jogged down the hall to find Aiden. Probably with his tongue down Lydia's throat in the boys locker room. Pathetic. 

Not a moment later, the fire alarm went off, blaring in my ears. I clutched my head and winced. Instead of going outside like an idiot I just hid in the bathroom. Nobody goes looking for you in high school. It was over quickly but another sound caught my attention as I went to my next class. It sounded like a metronome only louder and harsher. It almost sounded like my father's cane but what would he be doing at school? This day just gets weirder and weirder. 

 

I sat on my bed with a box of Cheez-It's. Happily munching away as I did homework. My door was partially open and when someone knocked I replied, "Come in." 

Thinking it was my father I hid the box of Cheez-It's but looking up I saw it was Ethan, "Oh. It's just you," I took out my box and began munching again. He chuckled and went to take a handful but I pulled the box away and snapped at his hand, a low, playful, growl in my throat. He laughed and held his hands up in mock surrender. I laughed too and offered the box to him. He took a handful and we silently munched for a moment.

It reminded me of the night he told me Ennis was dead. I was sad but as devastated as Kali. The only one I really connected with is Ethan. Besides my father, he's the only one who really loves me. I don't really think my father loves me too much. I think he wants to protect me for the soul purpose of who I'll become in the future. 

Ethan cleared his throat and lay out on my bed with a sigh. His shirt slightly rose up over his belly button and I could see his defined 'V'. I poked his belly button and he laughed at the cute sound I made. He sighed again and I made a pouty face and came up next to his face like Dory in Finding Nemo, "What's wrong Mr. Grumpy Gills?" 

He laughed and pushed my face away, "I'm not grumpy," He sighed again.

"Well you’re certainly Sir Sighs A Lot," I retorted, popping another Cheez-It in my mouth. 

He laughed again, "I swear you’re the only one in this house with a sense of humor." 

"That's 'cause I'm not from the FBI," I spoke through a mouthful of Cheez-It's.

"What?"

I swallowed, "Have you really not seen Men in Black yet?"

"No, I just can’t remember lines from movies word-for-word," He argued back.

"That's because you’re not as awesome as me," I smiled over confidently.

He snorted, "Oh yes, 'The Awesomeness of Luna Zakhaev'."

"Yes! That would be an awesome name for a documentary! It's an awesome film about an awesome person!" He started dying laughing and I eventually cracked up too. 

"You're too much sometimes, you know that?"

"I try," I made a dramatic pose. He was silent for a minute but I continued to munch. Suddenly he sat up and looked at me.

"Let's go out."

"Excuse me?"

"Yeah, just you and me out on the town having fun. Not body guards, no human sacrifices; nothing. We forget everything and for one night have as much fun as we can."

I considered it, "You'd have to get permission from the warden."

"Done. Get changed," He jumped off the bed but I called after him.

"Wait!" He turned back, "What if he says no?" He waved me off and kept walking, "Alrighty then, Sir Sighs A lot."

I got off my bed and opened my large closet. Sifting through my clothes I finally found the right dress. I smirked to myself. It's clubbin' time.

 

The club was booming. I could barely make out the lyrics to Katy Perry's E.T. I looked at Ethan and smiled big, kissing his cheek and going to mingle with the crowd. People crowded the dance floor. Sex and sweat were the strongest smells. I started to dance almost like I was a stripper and I was immediately surrounded by guys. I grinned, winking at a few of them. As the main beat of the song started I shimmied down running my hands over my exposed neck and chest, running them through my hair sexily. Guys started grinding with me and it wasn't long before I was breathing heavily. The song ended and I stopped dancing. The guys surrounding me complained but I just smiled and pushed my way through them and the crowd. Quickly spotting Ethan at the bar, I strutted over. 

Ethan had a glass of Brandy but smelled like Scotch. "Drowning your sorrows again?" I asked him, ordering a rum and coke for myself. I'm a simple girl.

He puffed a slight laugh, swishing the drink around in his glass he sighed, "I only wish I could get drunk."

"Keep mixing Scotch and Brandy and you just might," I squeezed the lime into my drink and sipped at it. He puffed another laugh while I downed my drink. I made a sound of refreshment and patted Ethan on the arm, "I'm gonna go mingle."

I swaggered back out onto the dance floor, not really paying attention to who danced with me. I closed my eyes as I swayed and ran my hand over the back of my neck, when I reopened them I saw someone standing at the side of the dance floor, almost watching me. I furrowed my brow and watched him for a moment until the strobe lights lit up his face. Then I saw. I just about screamed but when I turned my head to find Ethan, I looked back to find Damien gone. 

I shuttered, shakily stepping back and running into someone, "Hey! Watch it!"

"S-sorry," I stuttered. Someone tapped me on the shoulder and I spun around to see Damien with a wicked smile on his face. I screamed but it was masked by the crowd. They were cheering at something the DJ said. 

"Are you okay?" I whipped around to see Ethan. I almost breathed a sigh of relief but when I looked over my shoulder, Damien was gone again. I looked up at my protector and shook my head, tears filling my eyes. He pulled me into him and stroked my hair, "I think it's time we left huh?" I nodded into his shoulder but when I rested my chin on his neck I saw Damien behind us. 

I jumped back and reverted back to my old fear. I darted my head in every direction, looking for an out. When I found one, I bolted. Ethan called after me but I was too scared to answer. Fresh air hit my face as I threw open the heavy metal door. I breathed deeply, basking in it. A sick chuckle filled the air and a shadow crept over me. I fearfully turned around and screamed like a banshee when I came face to face with the Alpha. You shouldn't have run little girl... His voice crept into my head with a sick, sadistic tone. 

"No, no. This isn't real. You're dead. He killed you! You're dead!" I shouted, gripping my hair. The image of him beaten and barely breathing filled my mind but when away quickly. I killed the little rat that saved you... you never should've run from me... He continued to taunt me with cruel voice and vicious chuckle. I'll show you just how cruel I can be! He grabbed my wrists and dug his nails into them. I screamed again but finally, I had a savior. 

Someone grabbed me and pulled me into their chest. By the cologne I could tell it was Ethan but I was delirious at this point. "Hey, hey, sshh, shhh, its okay, you're okay now..." He shushed me in hopes to calm the sobbing that kept coming. He lifted my hand and looked at the bleeding cuts, "Why did you do this, love?" 

"I-I didn't," I sobbed, "He did," Ethan always know who I mean when I say 'He'. He looked confused but pulled me close anyway, "its okay honey. He's dead and gone. He can’t hurt you now..." There wasn't confidence behind his voice. It was like he doubted the truth. 

Images of that night began to fill my head until it was an all-out flashback. 

"Why are we bothering with him?" Kali asked dad. 

"He killed my sister and violated my daughter, in cold blood. I'm going to murder him. Slowly."

I looked up at Ethan who was holding me after my father looked into my memories and saw the things Damien had done. "I don't want to see him again," A silent tear ran down my face and Ethan gave me a sympathetic look before brushing away the tear with his thumb.

"It'll be alright," He kissed my forehead and rubbed my shoulder. I had come to see Ethan as a brother. He was kind and sweet and truly loved me. I trusted in him. 

3 nights later my father asked me to go somewhere with him. Walking out into the woods, I saw the man my nightmares feared. Only... he was strung up by his hands on a tree limb, much like I was when Derek found me. He was bloody and reeked of Wolfsbane. Barely conscious and breathing I knew my father had tortured him. Badly. 

I stopped ten feet from him, "What is this?" I asked my father. 

"I want you to do the honors," he gestured towards Damien, "Kill him, Nikita. Take your revenge." 

He snapped out his claws and I mirrored his actions. I waltzed right up to Damien and drew my hand back. He looked up at me slightly and I saw something in his eyes that I had never seen before. Fear. Fear of death. 

He stared at me for a moment; almost begging. Slowly, my hand fell and my claws disappeared, "I can't," I said softly.

"He's done so many horrible things to you and you can’t even kill him to exact your vendetta?!" My father was outraged. 

"This isn't even dignified! He strung up by his hands and barely alive as it is with no means of fighting back. I can’t kill someone like this. As much as I would like to see him rot in the depths of hell, I can’t do it like this! I can’t kill him dad. Not like this."

"You pity him? You’re sympathizing with him?! After all he's done to you?!" 

"I do not pity him," I said softly but confidently. My father scares me to an extent. I know he won’t hurt me. "But I'm not a killer. I don't kick people when they're down. I cannot kill a helpless person. It's not who I am and you can’t change that," and with that I walked away. 

Deucalion growled and snarled spitting out the words, "Fine. I'll do it myself. For Anastasiya," He stormed towards Damien and I heard his final pleas as dad brought back his claws and slashed Damien's throat, leaving him hanging from a tree and blood pouring from his neck.


	23. .22

I rolled onto my back, flicking the feathers on my dream catcher that hung on my headboard. I sighed heavily and turned on my small lamp. I grabbed my phone off the bedside table and went to my contacts. I had entered every number I remembered seeing from Derek's phone. 

My finger hovered over Isaac's name and finally I clicked new message muttering, "Fuck it," under my breath. Of course I said the stupidest thing I could've come up with at 1:30 in the morning, 'Are you awake?' I laid my phone on my stomach, letting out a shaky breath. I jumped when my phone dinged and buzzed. Opening the message, I had to cover my mouth to keep from laughing, 'No, I'm hunting elephants in the supermarket.' I chuckled internally and typed back my oh so witty remark, 'Well, Sargent Sarcasm.'

The response was almost instantaneous, '...Luna?' I smiled and replied, 'Duh, who else?' Again, the response was quick, 'What's wrong? Are you okay?' I mentally face-palmed myself. A slight breeze blew in from my window, causing the drapes to blow towards me. That's when an evil smirk crossed my face. Instead of doling out a witty remark I simply replied, 'Can't sleep. Meet at the reserve. Go to the cliff that overlooks Beacon Hills.'

He didn't argue, 'Be there in 10.' I grinned, shoving my phone into my batman shoulder bag. I grabbed a sports bra to shove in there too. I slung the bag over my shoulder and pushed back the drapes on my window. I kept looking back at my door like someone would hear me as I slipped one leg after another out of my window, standing on the window's edge and finding a tree I could use to my advantage. I swung from the window sill and kicked off the side of the building, flipping onto the tree and digging my nails into it to slide down. Landing on my feet I made a sound of approval and looked back at my window. All was dark and quiet. I actually pulled it off. 

I did a quick jog, just until I was in the woods and quickly stripped down to my undergarments, shoving the clothes into my bag. I tightened the strap around my neck and under my shoulder, so that it clung to my body. Hey, best way to travel is Air Wolf. I shifted into my large wolf, coming down hard on my front paws. I shook my fur out, stretching my muscles and repositioning the bag on my back with my muzzle. I pulled the strap with my teeth to tighten it and moved my shoulders like I was running to see if it would stay. Luckily it did. 

I took off, speeding past trees and leaving a white blur behind me. I'm pretty dang fast. I felt free when I was running. Like, the world had stopped. To be honest, I would be a wolf forever if I could. I quickly arrived at the cliff where I told Isaac to meet me. He wasn't here yet so I decided to wait. I didn't really want to shift back yet and I don't think he's seen my wolf. I want to show him. 

I laid out on a large rock, holding my head almost royally. I could hear him running. He was breathing heavily and soon came upon my rock. I swished my tail back and forth. He couldn't see me well and his eyes lit up to a bright yellow. He gasped slightly, "Luna?" I smiled as much as I could, gracefully alighting from my rock and sauntering up to him. He bent down slightly and held out his hand warily. I dropped my muzzle and pushed my head into his hand. I allowed him to run his finger through my fur. I made a sound of pleasure and he laughed a bit, "You're so beautiful..." I gave him a little lick on the face. 

He scratched my ears and I stepped back, rising in a rear. My white fur receded and Isaac, being the oh so innocent boy he is, tried to look away. I laughed and he threw me his jacket. I slipped it on along with my shorts from my bag and finally he uncovered his eyes, "You're so innocent," I laughed and put my arms around his neck. 

"I'm not innocent," he pulled me close, "I just don't want to impose," He smirked and I smiled back, shaking my head slightly. "That's your wolf?"

"Yeah," I ran my fingers through his short hair, slipping the ends between my fingers. 

"It's beautiful..." He murmured. I put my finger on his lips.

"Correction, she's beautiful," I murmured back. We were so incredibly close to each other and I was in nothing more than his jacket, "I think we've been in this position before..." 

"I think we have too," He mumbled, closing the space completely. He leaned down and I closed my eyes. Our lips met with a passion that exploded in our mouths. He slid his tongue over my bottom lip and I graciously let him in. He kept a tight hold on me, slowly lowering us to the ground. He slid his hands out from under my back as it hit the mossy forest floor. Our tongues danced like a burning tango, the heat between us intensifying. 

His hand came up the back of my leg and I bent my knee, allowing him to lift it with ease. He continued to explore my mouth along with my body, sliding the jacket off my shoulders. I slipped his shirt off, running my hands down his hard chest and abs. He nipped my neck, taking my hands and pinning them above my head to show he was in charge. I let it slide. 

He let my wrists go a few hot and steamy moments later. He pulled back a bit, both of us breathing heavily he put his face close to mine; kissing distance but I'd have to reach. He looked into my eyes, displaying the question in them long before he voiced it. "Luna... do you... love me?" 

I had to think about this for a moment. Of course I loved him but ... I couldn't figure out just the right way to say it. I reverted back to my greatest defense mechanism, "Would I be here if I didn't?" Ah, the beauty of sarcasm. 

He chuckled, lowering his head and shaking it slightly so that his cropped curls brushed against my nose. "No... I guess not," I smiled at him and he tilted his head, leaning in close to me. Just as our lips were about to touch, a twig snapped. Our heads shot up and we immediately jumped to our feet. It was definitely nearby. Leaves rustled. There's more than one.

Isaac slid his hand into mine; talking low enough so only I could hear him. "When I squeeze we run, okay?" I nodded, gulping slightly in fright. I had never been chased by hunters before. I smelt something funny too... Something wasn't quite right. I had no time to ponder it as Isaac squeezed my hand and we bolted. 

Arrows from crossbows whizzed through the air by our heads and gunshots could be heard from every direction. The sound of crunching and rustling leaves was almost deafening as we ran for our lives. An arrow hit the tree by my head. That's when I knew what wasn't right. The bark burned and seemed to turn black and droopy like tar. Smelled like tar too. These weren't just hunters; they're Ghost Hunters. 

Now I was seriously scared. Ghost Hunter's only hunt Ghost Wolves. They're specially trained for it. They dip their arrows in a neurotoxin that stops blood flow and makes the immune system attack they body. Fun right? Here's the best part; it doesn't affect Isaac or other wolves what-so-ever. Only Ghost Wolves. 

Isaac jerked back as he was hit in the leg with a bullet. It healed almost instantly. Another fun fact about Ghost Hunter's bullets; they're basically like tranquilizer darts only they make a Ghost Wolf's heart beat so fast that it pretty much explodes. It will only give Isaac ADD for a few hours. Because of this, he ran about ten times faster, basically dragging me along with him. 

The terrain was becoming rough and harder to navigate. I was also running low on energy. Ghost Wolves are like sprint runners. They can run really, really, fast but only for about a minute. I have no stamina. Zip. And then of course - the luck of the Russian! - The worst thing that could've possibly happened, the thing you yell at girls in horror movies for; I tripped. 

Despite Isaac yanking me back up quickly, I was hit. An arrow ripped through my side and I felt as if I had been thrown into a pool of acid. My scream echoed through the woods and suddenly, everything seemed to stop. There were no more sounds. Only the ringing in my ears of my scream. My heart slowed down as the neurotoxin kicked in. I faced a horrible reality. I would be dead within a few hours.


	24. .23

Isaac’s POV…

I screamed. A dripping, black arrow tore into Luna's side and she went down with a bang. The hunter's seemed to disappear. Almost as if they thought it would be useless to pursue her. I quickly knelt down beside her, holding her in my lap. Air couldn't seem to fill her lungs completely as her breath was short and fast. 

I was panicking, "Luna? Oh shit, baby? Can you hear me?" When her eyes opened I jumped. They were pure white, almost like an alligator's third eyelid. As she gasped for breath the hair on her arms would raise and turn white. The ends of her hair were turning white as well. I knew it had something to do with her wolf but I didn't quite know what.

"Come on baby, stay with me..." I didn't know what to do. I slightly rocked her back and forth, cooing in her ear which seemed to do no good. It was almost as if her body had shut down. Sense wise at least. Couldn't hear, couldn't speak... couldn't see.

I tried to replay what happened in my head. Tried to catch every detail. Those weren't normal hunters for one. They didn't really seem to be aiming at me but I was in the way of their shot to her. The bullets simmered when they hit my skin, meaning there was something in them. It probably had something to do with the adrenaline rush I had. 

Another thing that caught my eye was the arrows. They were dripping some kind of black liquid. When they hit the trees, the bark looked like it turned to tar. I was thinking acid but I've never seen acid do that. Thinking of the arrow reminded me that Luna had one in her side. If it can do that to a tree, I wonder what it can do to her. 

I grabbed the arrow as if to pull it out when a cry of pain ripped out of Luna's throat. Her breathing quickened but I was starting to not be able to hear her heart. "Oh no, no, no..." Touching the arrow more gently this time, I broke off the feathered tip. A small yelp followed by a whimper came from Luna. She was sweating now, her head rolled and her face touched my arm. She's burning up. "I'm so sorry baby..." 

I wanted to pull the arrow out but I didn't want to hurt her more. I sucked in a deep breath, figuring it would best to take it out. Leaning her up against my shoulder, I gripped the arrow tip end, opening and closing my fingers around it several times and breathing heavily in short, cut off breaths. Finally, I gripped it tight, trying to block out her whimper and slid the arrow out. 

While it came out easily, Luna still cried out in agony. Tears streamed down her face and she whimpered for a few seconds after. I pulled her close to me, throwing the arrow to the ground, not noticing how the grass under it turned brown. I rocked Luna back and forth, cooing her and rubbing her shaking arm. Her whole body was shaking and I don't think it's from the temperature. I pressed my cheek against her forehead and kissed her hairline, murmuring more for my sanity than her comfort.

Suddenly it came to me. I called the person I always go to when I don't know what to do; Scott. It rang a few times and I muttered my prayer for him to pick up. Finally he did, but he didn't sound happy. "Ugh, what is so important at two in the morning, Isaac?" 

That's when I let it all out. "Scott! Thank god you picked up! I don't know what to do. We snuck out here together but then some hunters showed up and we ran like hell. I'm pretty sure they were a different kind of hunter's because they have some weird shit going on with their weapons. She got hit with an arrow and I think it's poisoned but I don't know how to help her. She's sweating with a fever and shaking but I don't think it's the fever. Her breathing is really fast and short. I'm starting to not be able to hear her heart beat which I think is really bad because she's become unresponsive to me," I was talking so fast I hardly caught a breath, but when I did, Scott stopped me.

"Whoa, slow down Isaac," He sounded alert, "Whose hurt? And what do you mean there were hunters?"

"Luna! She got hit with a poisoned arrow! Hunters were chasing us. What else is there?" 

"Hold up, why are you with Luna? What were you guys doing?" I thought about our intense make-out session that almost turned into a whole lot more but had to shake my head and push those thoughts back. I had to focus on saving the girl I love.

"It doesn't matter okay?! She's hurt and I don't know what to do!" You could clearly hear the panic in my voice. Luna tried to swallow and murmured something that I couldn't quite make out. I think it had an E in it. 

"Okay, okay, Isaac, calm down. I'm getting on my bike right now. I'll go see if Deaton can help us. In the meantime, where are you?"

"Beacon Hills reserve," I answered half-heartedly, still trying to decipher Luna's mumblings. 

"Get into open area. Somewhere you can see them coming from a mile away. How did you get away from them?"

I shook my head and gulped, "I-I didn't. They just left. It was almost like they were trying to just hit her and then they were done."

Scott was silent for a minute, "That's really strange... Get out of the park now, Isaac. Meet me at Deaton's if you can. Just get into open area." Then he hung up.   
I took a shaky breath, slipping my phone back into my pocket and leaning Luna against a tree. I got to my feet unsteadily. Bending down, I put her arms around my neck and slid my arm under her knees and back. Heaving her up, I shifted my shoulder so her head was leaning on it and not dangling over my arm. One of her arms hung loosely around my neck as I walked out of the woods while the other fell and dangled, swinging with my steps. I sped up every time I heard something. I was spooking quite easily. 

Getting to the road I knew I had to stay in the shadows and take back routes to get to the animal clinic. I hoped it would only take me about 10 minutes. If nothing went wrong... 

 

"Of course it rains..." I muttered to myself as I trudged through puddles with my soaked shoes. I had gone back to get her bag. It was cold so I figured she had other clothes or something. Nope! Her phone has beeped at least 20 times now and they're all text messages from the same person; Ethan. She even has a freaking heart next to his name! Ugh he pisses me off. 

So now I'm stuck in the rain with a shivering girl in my arms. I tried to cover her with my jacket once I put her shirt on but it didn't really help. 

I banged on the back door to the animal clinic and it opened immediately. Deaton took her from me and wrapped her in a blanket, laying her on the table. Scott put a blanket around my shoulders and I mumbled a thank you. Deaton tried his best to dry her off although she was still shivering and under the florescent light I could see that her lips were a slight shade of blue. Her lips... Oh so soft and welcoming... Ugh! Focus! 

Deaton lifted her shirt slightly and studied her wound. His eyes widened and I knew it wasn't good. "What did you say the arrow looked like again?" He asked me.

"It was dripping some kind of black liquid. It- it was weird. When it hit a tree it made the bark look like tar. It killed it instantly," I gulped. Scott moved up next to Deaton to look at the wound. He looked away and took a step back. "Why, what is it?" I persisted. 

"After they hit her, you said the hunter's disappeared, correct?" 

I was getting impatient, "Yes, why? What's wrong?!" 

Deaton sighed and turned to Scott and me, "I can’t save her."

"What?! What do you mean you can’t save her?! You save everybody else all the time!" I shouted at him and Scott grabbed my arm, squeezing it as a warning to chill. I'm freaking out here!

"I wasn't finished. I can’t save her because I don't have what she needs. You both know what she is, correct?" 

"A she-wolf," I answered like it was obvious. 

"Not just a she-wolf. She's also something we call a Ghost Wolf," He motioned for us to come close. Scott looked just as confused as I did. Deaton moved her hair to the side, turning her head. "You see this mark?" He pointed to a branding on the back of her neck. It said Ghost in small cursive letters.

"What does it mean?" Scott asked. 

"It was given to her as a child. Well, more or less. Her mother branded her with it, symbolizing her significance to a dying race. Yet she often covered it up because she was trying to hide Luna's true identity," Scott and I both exchanged confused looks. Deaton leaned his hands on the table, looking at us as he explained, "The Ghost Wolves were one of the very first breeds of werewolves. Over time, due to hunter's and angry townspeople, every breed of werewolf was almost wiped out. Ghost wolves were once thought to be one of those breeds. Nobody knew that what was thought to be the last Ghost had had two children not long before. Twins in fact. 

"Ghost Wolves were the most dangerous type of werewolves. They were quick and cunning, natural born leaders. Their only default was the fact that they relied so heavily on their pack. Ghost Hunters are specially trained to track and target Ghost Wolves. Because Ghost Wolves are one of the oldest breeds they're not as hardy as the two of you. Also different things affect them. Ghost hunters have special made weapons that can kill a Ghost Wolf with one hit. That's why they disappeared."

"Ok so wait a minute, does that mean she has like a twin brother somewhere?" Scott asked. 

Deaton shook his head, "The twins were a pack in themselves but they weren't very good at hiding their secret. When they tried to get help and become parts of another pack, - seeing as they didn't understand their abilities and much less identities- the minute they did something out of the ordinary, the pack expelled them. Finally they figured out that they needed to build their own packs."

"How did they do that when they weren't alphas?" I asked. 

"I told you they were natural born leaders didn't I? They don't need to kill another alpha for their power, nor do they rise to power like a true alpha. They're alphas by blood."  
"Purebred Alphas..." Scott muttered. 

"Exactly. They built separate packs and separate lives. Only relying on one another when they needed to heal. The problem was that they didn't realize they had to continue the bloodline. But the Ghost bloodline was a dangerous thing. It had to be hidden from the world as not to awaken the Ghost Hunters - or other creatures."

"Talia. Derek said that his mother gave Luna mountain ash to hide her wolf," Scott pointed out and Deaton nodded. 

"Mountain ash can’t kill her by itself. But a certain neurotoxin can. Sanguinem Fraxinus; blood of ash. Ghost Hunter's liked to bleed the bodies of dead Ghost Wolves as their prize for taking one down. Ghost Wolves in their true form are huge - like dire wolves. That's what they were originally bred from; but only some possess that ability to shift into their full wolf form, others only shift three quarters of the way. You two when you shift are only half wolves. 

"Anyway, you were considered a champion among hunters if you brought home blood from a Ghost and they always knew if it was from a Ghost because when a Ghost Wolf dies, its blood turns so dark red, it looks black. It was incredibly hard to take down one of these powerful wolves so one hunter figured out that if you mix the blood of the dead Ghost with an equal amount of mountain ash and white oak ash, it will take down a Ghost with one hit."

"That's why they died out so quickly..." Scott mused. Deaton nodded. 

"What does any of this have to do with saving her?" I asked. 

"Ghost Wolves had to figure out a way to save themselves and an elder pointed out that they rely on their packs, so why not use pack blood. Use blood from a live Ghost to counteract the blood of a dead Ghost. And it worked."

"So she needs pack blood? Like blood from another Ghost Wolf?" I asked. Deaton nodded slowly. "Where the hell do we find that?! You said all the Ghost Wolves are dead!"

"No, he never said the twins were dead. Derek said that the only reason Luna was with Deucalion is because he can protect her," Scott tried to figure. 

"How can he protect her better than us?" 

"Because he has something we don't..." Scott froze, looking up at Deaton as if praying he wouldn't nod. 

"Ghost Wolves are almost like Druid's. They're called Ghosts when they take the right path, but when they go down the wrong path..."

"They become Demon Wolves. That's what Deucalion calls himself. The Demon Wolf," Scott finished. My jaw about hit the ground. 

"Wait so does that mean that-?" Scott cut me off. 

"Deucalion is her father. He has Ghost Wolf blood. He's the only one who can save her."

"Oh no. No, no, no, I am not sending her back to that crazy ass bastard!" 

"It's either that or she dies," Scott stated. I looked at Luna, pale and shivering. I had to save her. I couldn't live without her. I had to cave. Fighting with Scott was useless, plus if Deaton says it’s the only way it probably is.

"Fine..." I said almost inaudibly. Scott pulled out his phone and scrolled through numbers, finally texting one. "Who are you texting?" I asked him. 

"Danny," He replied like it was obvious. 

"Why...?"

He sighed, "Danny gets up before dawn every morning to go for a run and practice."

"So?"

"So, we need to get Luna to Deucalion," He looked down as Danny replied to him a small smile quirking up his lips, "What better way to get her there than with the person who loves her most?"

"You've lost me," I furrowed my brow. 

"Ethan," He tapped his phone before holding it up to his ear as he walked into the waiting room. I growled some curses under my breath before going over to Luna. Deaton had wrapped her wound but it was still bleeding. Her white shirt was ruined as well. 

I looked up at Deaton who seemed to be focusing on Luna. "Deaton?" I asked quietly. He looked up at me. "Luna told me once that she's not an alpha. But you just said Ghost Wolves are natural leaders and don't have to steal power to become an alpha."

"There's a catch to the purebred alphas. They can only become alphas when both their parents are dead. She's halfway there."

I furrowed my brow, "Whose her mother?"

"Talia. Talia Hale." He answered and my jaw dropped. Luna is Derek's sister. I did not see that one coming!

"But-but you didn't correct Scott when he said there were three Ghost Wolves still alive. And she told me her aunt is dead. Wouldn't her aunt be the third Ghost Wolf?"

Deaton looked up at me, "A pack always has an Alpha." He left it at that when Scott walked back in. Damn this man and his confusing riddles and shit! I'm not a fucking poet! I don't know what that's supposed to mean!

"Ethan said he'd come and get her. He won't tell Deucalion what she was doing if," He looked at me, "If you leave her alone." 

"What?!"

"It's too dangerous, Isaac. Until we know everything, it's not safe to be with her. You put each other in danger. Derek backed off, you should too."

"Derek's a coward," I spat, "I fight for the things I love," I snarled, storming out into the rain. Scott called after me but I didn't listen, I just ran. 

I ran into the woods, looking up at the sky where the moon was still visible through the clouds. I threw my head back and did the only thing I could think of in this moment. I howled for the girl I love.


	25. .24

Luna’s POV…

I woke with a start, sitting upright with a gasp and breathing heavily thereafter. I looked around and realized I was in my own bed. Beads of sweat were present on my head and chest. My side was wrapped in gauze and I only had my batman sports bra on along with my BVB shorts. I leaned back, bracing my hands behind me and leaning on them. I closed my eyes and listened to the sounds of the penthouse, slowing my breathing and heart rate in the process. Everyone was silent. Even the one person who was still awake. 

I threw the covers back, putting my legs over the side of the bed and focusing my attention on my wiggling toes. Carefully putting weight on my legs I used the bed and nightstand to keep me upright as I wobbled. Finally, my legs stopped shaking and I grabbed a baggy sweatshirt before carefully tip toeing out of my bedroom, doing my best to keep as quiet as possible as I made my way to the kitchen. 

Leaning on the counter I let out a breath knowing I had made it past him unheard. Smiling, I bent down and reached into the fridge for a water bottle. "Late night snacking?" I jumped and hit my head on the top of the fridge. Muttering curses I grabbed my bottle of water and rubbed my head. He had a small smirk on his face as he leaned casually on the doorframe. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"Well, you didn't do a very good job," I grumbled, pulling my hand away from my head to check for blood. When my hand came up clean I went back to rubbing what will be an Easter egg tomorrow. I uncapped my bottle and drank, hearing his cane click as he positioned himself across from me. 

"How are you feeling?" He asked, sounding oddly genuinely concerned. 

"Aside from the nasty morning breath and new bump on my head, just dandy," I grumbled. He gave me a look and tapped his fingers arithmetically on the table. I sighed, "I'm fine, dad." 

"What were you doing out there? You left the house, unattended, and you almost die. Was my warning not clear enough?" Leave it to dad to lecture me after he asks if I'm okay. 

"Dad, I'm tired of being treated like a little kid! I want to be able to go out without the twins trailing my flank! Is it too much to ask to at least try to be normal?"

His expression didn't change. It stayed emotionless and scary. "Yes it is," I scoffed and rolled my eyes but he wasn't finished, "I have a reason for everything, Nikita. I always have a plan and a backup plan. My plan was to keep you safe so that incidents like this didn't happen. Two Ghosts in the same place for so long have awakened the Ghost Hunters. Now they know you and they will be looking to make sure you're dead. They live to hunt us. Hunt us until we're extinct. We're the only ones left, Nikita."

"How do you know that? How do you know that there aren't others?"

"Anastasiya and I were the last ones. Those hunters killed our parents. And that bastard killed her. It's just us now," He put his hand over mine and I sucked in a deep breath, letting it out through my nose and nodded. He patted my hand and walked further into the kitchen, feeling the cabinets for what he was looking for. 

"Dad... can I ask you a question?" 

"Yes."

"Why her? Out of all the women in the world, why did you choose mom? She was married for Christ's sake..." I muttered the last part more to myself.

He paused for a moment, "Simply... because I loved her."

"But... why?"

He sighed, not looking at me as he spoke, "We don't necessarily pick who we're attracted to. Back when werewolves were a new thing, men owned their daughters. You didn't get a chance to find love. A good man was provided for you and you had to learn to love him. 

Packs weren't always one alpha or even two alphas. Werewolves were thought to be lone wolves. That's why townspeople thought they were fine when they killed one wolf, not knowing that a pack was coming for them. Anyway, Alphas gave their daughters to young male alphas in hopes that not only could she run the pack, but also learn to love him as well and keep the alpha line going. 

In Ghost Wolf packs, it was all different. Women were in charge. Men were warriors and women were leaders; much like the way modern hunters train. Your grandmother was one of the greatest leaders among Ghost Wolves there ever was. She had eight different packs and she controlled them all with her mates."

"Wait... she had eight mates?" I knew I shouldn't have encouraged the long and boring story but I did want to learn about my past. 

"Kings in Persia used to have 100 wives. She used the same tactic. When the Ghost Hunters started wiping out the packs, she scattered us. Kept everything behind closed doors and did everything she could to hide us from the hunters. She protected us until the last moments..." His expression looked far away as if remembering something. "She sent Ana and me away to build our own packs when we were no more than 10 years old."

"What does this have to do with mom?" He gave me the shut up look. Well, I tried.

"When Ana and I built our packs, modern wolves believed that either it was two alphas, the male being dominant, or it was one alpha of either gender. Ana choose to go with Damien because she saw potential in him. I never saw what she saw. And she lost sight of his potential long before he killed her. I never understood why she didn't leave him. I did everything I could to protect her but in the end she betrayed me and got herself killed."

"How did she betray you?" I got protective when I came to my aunt. She was like a second mother to me. I owe her everything. 

"She hid you from me; kept moving every time I got close to finding you. Plus she had something going on with Peter Hale."

"She never moved, dad. She tried so hard to leave obvious tracks and clues to help you find us. When I asked her what she was doing she said she was leaving a trail so that whoever found it could save us. Take us away from this..." My voice cracked. 

Realization hit him like a freight train, "I never knew... She wanted me to find you. She knew Damien..." He stopped, pursing his lips, "She gave up her life to protect you..." All very true. I didn't know what I had done at the time but Damien wanted to exile me. Anastasiya knew I couldn't last on my own and she knew the hunters would find me so she proposed a trade. It didn't exactly go how she planned... 

"The last words she whispered to me were 'run'," A tear slipped down my face and I sniffled, wiping it on my sleeve. I ran like hell but the Beta caught me quickly. That's when my hell began.

"She hoped I would find you as a last resort..." He clarified. 

Clearing his throat he went back to the original question, "I loved your mother and I was willing to fight for her. Any true mate is willing to fight for love. Love makes us do stupid things...

"She came to me one night she had a fight with her husband. She was vulnerable," He gestured to me, "That's where you come in. She hid you for a while solely because she was afraid of the hunters but when I lost my sight... that's when she truly made you invisible. She too felt I couldn't protect you so she and Ana dedicated their lives to protecting you. Peter Hale did to in a way, but he only did it for Ana. He doesn't really care too much for you," Ouch, that one hit home. 

"If you loved her so much how come you couldn't save her from the fire?" 

He lowered his head as if in shame but pushed his chin back out quickly, "There was nothing I could've done. For any of them." 

"So... random question seeing as were on the subject in a way... can a wolf have a mate?"

He regarded me carefully, speaking hastily, "It's rare. A wolf can only mate once in their lifetime."

"But it is possible?"

"Technically, yes."

"Technically?"

"A mate is something of a 'one-shot'. Your mate is your rock. Your center. They're usually the exact opposite of you yet you agree on many things. Most wolves go through their whole lives without a true mate. The love has to work both ways for it to be true. You just never know who they can be."

"What if a wolf does find their mate?"

"As I said, it’s rare."

"But if it does happen...?"

"That's it. If it happens they you better pray no harm ever comes to them because once you lose the love of a mate... you lose love forever. You can never love again. No matter how much you want to, no matter how hard you try if you lose your mate... you're broken for the rest of your life."

Finally it all made sense to me, "Mom was your mate wasn't she?" I tried to reach out to him but as usual he locked up. 

His eyes flashed red and he turned on me, "I don't want you with that boy ever again, do you hear me? You are never to leave without the twins."

I gulped and nodded quickly, "Yes sir." 

He huffed, beginning to walk away but I called out to him in the softest, most innocent voice I could pull off, "You never answered my question."

He stopped, every muscle in his body tensed. He truly looked upset. Like the sad upset. "I once learned a lesson long ago," He turned towards me like he was staring into my soul, "Don't put the people you love in danger. You often tend to lose them that way," And with that, he walked away, his cane clicking on the hardwood floor and leaving me alone. 

One thing he said stood out in my mind above all else. It replayed over and over again as I made my way back up to my room where I'm sure Ethan was now waiting. If you lose your mate... you're broken for the rest of your life. The last thing he said to me, he was talking about Isaac. If I keep seeing Isaac, if I keep being involved with him I'm putting him in danger. Danger that could potentially cost him his life. So basically the only way to protect my mate is to push him away. Ain't that just a ray of sunshine?


	26. .25

"Hey, Eth," I knocked on his already open door. He looked up at me, "Wanna go for a run?" He quickly scanned over my attire, huffing. 

"I'll be ready in a minute."

"Love you!" I called, walking into the kitchen to fill my water bottle. It's been two days since our little father daughter talk. I'm fully recovered but today I have to go back to school. Which means avoiding Isaac at all costs. It should be pretty easy; I mean he's only in like one of my classes. The class I have both the twins in; last period.

Dad walked into the kitchen as I filled my water. "Where are you going?" He asked. 

"Out for a run with Ethan," I responded, moving around him and putting my hair up into a ponytail. 

"You shouldn't be running," He spoke calmly but I could hear his underlying frustration.

"Well, I don't want to get fat," I walked backwards away from him with a shrug. I saw Ethan coming from his room and grabbed my jacket, tying it around my waist and walking out the door. 

Nobody in the apartment was up. Seeing as it was around 5am I didn't expect anybody to be. I plugged in my headphones as Ethan pushed the button for the elevator. We never really talked on our runs. I basically just needed a body guard. He cracked his neck and knuckles, rolling his shoulders and stretching sideways. I rolled my eyes. He thinks he's a jock.

When the elevator pinged Ethan and I entered, hitting the button for lobby. The elevator stopped halfway down though, opening up to let another person in. Ethan and I exchanged confused looks. Nobody is ever up when we are. Sure enough, Daddy Argent walks in. He eyed the two of us carefully before going to hit the garage button. 

Ethan casually moved from my side to partially in front of me. Everyone was silent until we reached the lobby. Ethan grabbed my wrist and Argent stood in the corner as he and I exited. He had a slight smirk on his face; for what reason, I didn't know. Ethan and I walked out of the building, setting off on our running path. I had ...To Be Loved blasting in my ears as we jogged. The garage gate opened and Argent came flying out, almost hitting the two of us before speeding away. Ethan grumbled profanities while I rolled my eyes and carried on. 

Usually I would go out into the woods and run as my wolf but (sadly) not only can Ethan not keep up, but my father hasn't allowed me to shift since that night. He says it's what attracted the hunters. I call bullshit but whatever. As I was jamming out, something caught my peripheral vision. I slowed a little and looked to my right. 

It was still dark out, being so early, so I thought my eyes were tricking me when I caught sight of a black wolf. My heart stopped. I froze in place and all I could do was stare at it. It had a smirk on its face and its red beady eyes were trained on me. It barked and I stumbled back, tripping on a curb and scraping my elbow. It stalked toward me and my breathing got quicker. Nothing else reached my senses but him. 

He snarled, froth forming at his muzzle. He licked his chops. Ethan was at least half way up the road and I don't think he's noticed me yet. The black wolf leaned back on its haunches like it was about to spring. Its muscles tensed and he launched himself toward me. I screamed, covering my face with my ripped elbow and squeezed my eyes shut.

"Luna!" Ethan grabbed my shoulders, and I looked up. The wolf was gone. Ethan was in front of me, trying to calm me down. "What happened?"

"I saw him! He was here! He was right there! I saw him," I started sobbing, clutching Ethan's shirt for dear life, "I swear, I saw him." 

Ethan held me close to him, shushing me, "Saw who, baby?" 

"Damien," Breathing that single word made him stiffen. 

"He's dead, baby girl. He can't hurt you, okay?" I nodded into his shoulder and he lifted me up. My legs shook and he scooped me up in his arms, running me back to the apartment. Neither of us noticed the black car parked across the street, hidden under the trees; and Argent was sitting in the front seat. 

When we got to the penthouse, he brought me to my room and told me to get ready for school before kissing my forehead and leaving. As I got out of my running attire, I listened in to what Ethan was telling my father, "I don't know what she saw exactly. She just started freaking out. She told me she saw Damien, but by the way she was acting, it was as if a wild animal was attacking her. I don't get it."

"His connection to her is stronger than I thought..." My father mused.

"Why the hell does he have a connection to her?" Aiden's voice broke in.

"Probably because he basically burned himself into her memory," Ethan muttered. 

"Why doesn't matter. Your job is to keep an eye on her. If this happens again today, we have a different problem on our hands. For now..." He cane clicked and I could tell he was walking away, "Do your job."

"Yes sir," They both muttered in sync.

I turned on the water then, hoping that it wasn't obvious that I had listened in. I stepped into the shower and almost moaned. The rush of warm water felt so good. It soothed my muscles and relaxed me. I tried not to think of troubling events but my mind raced with questions as I washed up. Was it a coincidence that I saw him at the club and today? Both times I saw him I was with Ethan... I don't know what any of this means! What was dad talking about with a 'connection'? Everything was too confusing. 

I got out of the shower and dried off, stepping into my closet and browsing for an outfit. I knock at my door made me pause and slip on my undergarments. I smelt cinnamon; Ethan. "Come in!" I called and Ethan walked in, lying on my bed. He was already showered and dressed. Wow, I must've taken a long time. 

"Girls take so long to get ready," He groaned.

I laughed, "Well you don't have to worry about that do you?"

He looked at me upside down with a big grin, "Nope!"

I rolled my eyes, choosing an outfit. I walked out of my closet, still only in my bra and underwear and Ethan pretended to be horrified, "My eyes!" I smacked him in the head with a pillow. He has seen me in every way before and I really don't care. Slipping on my dress and quickly doing my make-up I was finally ready. 

I said goodbye to my father and we all headed out to the bikes. Aiden and Ethan whispered something to each other that I couldn't make out. It ended with Ethan nodding and climbing on the bike, waiting for me. "What was that about?" I asked as he handed me my helmet. 

"Nothing," He mumbled. Left in the dark again. These boys... 

 

Classes went pretty normal but I zoned out in last period. I noticed the little pack wasn't all there. Stiles, Scott, and Allison weren't there. Isaac was though. He looked like hell. His eyes were bloodshot and he made no attempt to even try to antagonize the twins. It must've been because of Boyd. Ethan had told me what happened. I felt so bad. 

But here, acting like nothing happen was that stupid teacher. I completely ignored her, staring out the window with my chin in my hand. Vaguely in the window, I could see the reflection of the class; particularly Isaac who was staring at me. He hasn't seen me since... that night. The night that we almost got killed. And the night we almost had sex. 

I tried to ignore his stare and focused on the outside. There was a monarch butterfly that flew right in my line of vision; I followed it with my eyes until something else caught my attention. Looking directly at me with those beady, red eyes was the wolf. He was the ugliest black wolf I had ever seen, but I knew it was him. The man who ruined my life. 

I swear my heart stopped. No matter how hard I tried I couldn't look away from him. I watched him, my breathing quickening as he reared up on his hind legs. His bones broke and reformed as he shifted in a black mist into the man I hated. The red eyes stayed and the smirk grew. He mouthed my pet name, 'Nikki'. I felt sweat forming at my hairline, my fingers trembled and my heart was beating a mile a minute. I almost felt faint and my chest began to hurt. The hair raised on the back of my neck, spreading to my arms. 

I couldn't believe just seeing him did this to me. He took a step forward and was suddenly right in front of the glass. I jumped back, landing on the floor. He smiled evilly, pressing his hand to the glass. It was covered in blood. 

I screamed bloody murder and was soon pulled back into reality. Aiden and Ethan jumped up but Isaac was quicker. The whole class looked frightened. I couldn't breathe right. My breath came quick and short. My eyes were as wide as a deer in headlights, flickering to everything around me. Aiden made a move toward me but I scrambled back, wedging myself into a corner. Suddenly, arms gripped my waist. I was set off into Omega mode. 

I struggled and cried. Tears ran down my face. I thought it was Damien. I was full on sweating and crying out now. "Please, no! I can’t go back! Don't let me go back! I can’t! No, I can’t go with him! Please don’t; please don't make me go back to him!" I cried, "Don't make me go back! Please!" I wasn't sure who I was begging to, all I knew is that I couldn't go back to Damien. I wouldn't survive this time. 

I was pulled into someone's chest, two arms wrapping around my upper body, locking tight like iron. A blurred mix of no's and pleases composed my escalated cries. I twisted and turned in the iron vise with no success of getting away. His grip was inescapable. A voice reached my ear, "Sshhhh, calm down," A soft voice whispered in my ear, "Relax. You're gonna be okay. Listen to me, Luna, shhh." I squirmed more, feeling completely vulnerable in his grip but this wasn't Damien's voice. He continued to whisper in my ear and soon his words were the only thing I could focus on. I couldn't make it stop and he was right next to my ear. His soft, coaxing voice quietly and slowly calmed me. He spoke softly in my ear until I began to stop squirming. My muscles quivered and I was tense. But I finally stood still. I was definitely not relaxed. I was stiff and flighty. I stilled completely, listening to the repetitive words that ran through my ears. 

I was in an unstable calm and his arms relaxed slightly. "That's it. Good girl. Just relax. Are you going to listen to me?" I nodded, staring unblinking at the floor tiles. It was a stiff, instinctual, uncontrolled movement. His arms slid down mine, pinning my wrists to my sides as he kept his tight hold on me. His voice was like silk running over my skin. So quiet and soft. My stiff muscles slowly began to relax. He cooed in my ear and lulled me into a calm. 

I was like a charmed snake, forced into relaxing, becoming a puppet. He was keeping me under control as he knew I was still in my flighty Omega mode. My mind fogged up, only focusing on his low, steady voice right in my ear. I kept nodding, slowly and stiffly even when he didn't ask questions. Finally I relaxed completely in his arms. 

Everyone in the room was open mouthed, including the twins. They looked at each other completely amazed. He shifted his arm on me and pulled us up off the floor. I stood still in his arms. I shifted closer to him in my daze. He was all I could focus on. Nothing else mattered but Isaac Lahey. "What is that?" Someone asked. 

Aiden mumbled under his breath, "That's not even healthy."

"It's amazing," Ethan muttered to himself. "I can’t even calm her from a panic attack like that. She has complete trust in him. She listens to him without question." 

"It's not good. She's not really relaxed. It's a daze," Isaac muttered. I could feel his chest vibrate with his low voice. It made me shiver. 

"Perhaps," Ms. Blake spoke, "You should escort her to the nurse, Mr. Lahey." 

Isaac nodded, rubbing my arms and leaning close to my ear again, "We're going to go for a walk okay? You and me. Let's go, baby girl." 

"Uh I have to go with her, and uh call our father..." I vaguely heard Ethan speak and Ms. Blake allowed it. Isaac muttered a curse under his breath. 

He ushered me out the door, keeping one hand around my waist and the other lightly pushing into my lower back. "How did you do that?!" Ethan whisper shouted to Isaac. 

Isaac shrugged, "I did it the first night we found her. I don't know; she just seems to relax when she hears my voice. Almost like she's dependent on me."

"So you've always been able to do that?" 

"I guess." 

"Wow. That's amazing you know. I've never seen that happen before. Usually if she has that bad of a panic attack I have to sedate her."

Isaac shook his head, "That's even worse. She'll fall into a nightmare. Those are even harder to get her out of, especially if she's in too deep. And if you let her relive it… It’s just not good."

"I never thought about that..." Ethan murmured guiltily. 

"You have to think about every little thing when it comes to these. Like even now, her pupils are dilated. Even the tiniest thing could set her off. She's not completely relaxed. I don't like doing this to her, but it saves her from her own misery. And hurting herself."

"She ripped a huge gash in her leg one night from these nightmares. I couldn't figure out why."

"You have to understand that when she has a panic attack she falls into that fight of flight mode. In her case of having been an omega, the flight kicks in. She will do anything and everything to get out of that situation. That's why she ran away from Derek and me. It's all about understanding her."

"And her past... which you seem to know more of than I do," Ethan huffed. "I know what she went through. Maybe not exactly but I was an Omega once too. That's why she trusted me so much when we first found her." Isaac looked almost taken aback. He stayed silent and I could only wonder what was running through his mind. Ethan continued, "She had a small one this morning. She keeps seeing Damien. I don't know why."

"Does Deucalion?" Isaac said quietly, still processing the information earlier.

"If he does he's not sharing. He told me that if she has another panic attack that I need to bring her home..."

Isaac pursed his lips, "She might freak out on a motorcycle. I don't know. I'll have to see."

Ethan raised his eyebrows, "You'd let her go? Just like that?"

"If Deucalion can help her with something I can’t, I think it's better if she goes with him. All I care about is her health and safety. If he can provide something I can’t... I guess I have to let her go."

"You really care about her don't you? Is that why you're being civil with me?"

"I'm being civil with you because she sees you as a person she can trust. If I hurt you or you hurt me, she'll become confused and have to make a choice between us. I don't want her to have to do that. If she chooses me, she no longer has someone to protect her at home. If she chooses you... I don't think I could live without her."

"Wow... you really do think about everything..." Ethan was silent for a moment, "She has a real connection to you, you know that? You two are almost like destined to be together. I don't understand why Deucalion tries so hard to keep you apart..."

"Yeah, tell me about it," Isaac grumbled in response.

"There's got to be something more to it. A reason. Don't you think?" 

Isaac sighed, "I know it's something more. It's the reason Deucalion hates me. He knows what I am to her. I’ve realized what I am to her. I know she knows who I am to her, which is why she avoided me whenever she saw me. It's why she refused to look me in the eye at any point today. It's the reason every time she caught my scent she melted into you. It's the reason she hates the fact that she loves me."

"What like, she's your mate? Aren't mates supposed to be able to be together?"

Isaac shook his head, "Not in Deucalion's eyes. Not after what happened to him."

Ethan looked confused, "What happened exactly?"

Isaac pursed his lips, "Talia Hale was Deucalion's mate and her mother. Deucalion is the way he is because he lost not only his sight but his mate. Losing a mate leaves you broken forever. She thinks the only way to protect me is to stay away from me. She doesn't want to lose me and end up like her father."

Ethan looked shocked, dumbfounded. He couldn't formulate a response to that. Instead he focused his attention on me. He looked closely at me, "Can she even hear us?"

Isaac snorted, "Of course she can. She's not deaf you know. She's just unresponsive." Ethan's mouth formed an O shape and he stayed silent as came upon the double doors that led to the parking lot.

We reached the outside and the unnatural bright light shocked me out of my haze a little bit. Isaac was quick to respond, "You're gonna be okay, baby girl. You're alright. You're going to go for a ride okay? You're going to go on a motorcycle ride with Ethan okay?" I nodded stiffly. He pulled me close to him in a desperate hug, kissing my forehead. His lips lingered there for a moment as Ethan mounted the bike, putting up the kickstand and grabbing the helmets. "God I love you..." Isaac murmured before looking up at Ethan. "Take care of her alright?" He sounded choked up, almost like letting me go with Ethan was like having to put down a dog.

Ethan nodded once, "I will." 

Isaac turned back to me, brushing my hair behind my ear before slipping my helmet on. He pressed his lips to mine almost desperately, "I love you so much," A little sniffle, escaped his nose. He lifted me onto the bike and I murmured one last thing before letting my fingers slip from his. 

"I love you too."


	27. .26

I huffed as Aiden dragged me along. "You cannot drag a girl in heels!" I complained and he rolled his eyes, gripping my bicep tighter. He makes sure that either he or Ethan always has a hand on me since the 'incident'. I don't really even remember what happened. All I know is that when I got home, Ethan and Aiden told dad two different stories and he was not a happy camper. He was even angry with me and I did nothing! 

He pulled me up to Ethan's locker, immediately scolding him, "This whole thing with Danny, it needs to stop," I squirmed but Aiden gripped my arm tighter, causing me to huff. 

"He's harmless," Ethan replied without looking at him, "And Lydia's the one we're supposed to worry about," He glanced quickly at my surely bruising arm before meeting Aiden's eyes.

"Then why are you still talking to Danny?" 

"What difference does it make?"

"What do you think we're doing here?" Aiden snapped and Ethan broke his gaze for a moment, "You know we're not actual high school students, right? We're here to eliminate a threat, not hold hands and pass notes in class." 

"Oh snap," I mumbled under my breath and Aiden dug his short nails into my arm. A simple, but harsh warning to shut up. 

Ethan ignored my comment and turned back to Aiden, "And now, we know he's harmless. Threat eliminated," That's my sassy boy.

Aiden smirked coyly, "You're starting to like him."

Ethan hid his slight blush and looked away from his twin, "So what?" He grumbled.  
Aiden still kept that vicious smirk on his face as he asked, "So if Deucalion asks you, would you kill him?"

Ethan paused, forming a quick, snappy comeback, "If Deucalion asks you, would you kill me?" Ethan's jaw set as he locked eyes with his brother. 

Aiden only smirked, lecturing his twin once more, "Stop talking to Danny," Ethan looked away from him, "Or I'm gonna rip the flesh off his face," He let go of me at this point, nudging me into Ethan before taunting him in his ear with a slight hiss, "And eat it," He slammed Ethan's locker shut and stormed off. 

"Well he's a happy camper..." I grumbled, rubbing my sore arm. Ethan gripped my elbow gently and turned my arm to see Aiden's fingers bruised into my skin. 

"Ignore him," He muttered with a frown, "I do." Just as the bell rang, I was suddenly grabbed and pulled down a hallway. The grip was weak so I immediately recognized it as a human. Stiles Stilinski to be exact. His aftershave was overpowering and I recognized it immediately. 

"Here we go again," I mumbled. "I guess it's better than a bathroom. What do you want, Stiles?" He said nothing, toting me along until we met Scott at the top of a vacant stairwell. 

Ethan was there is seconds, yanking me back behind him, "Don't touch her," He snarled, muscles tense and rippling. 

"Whoa, chill. We just want to talk," Scott held his hands up in mock surrender.

Ethan relaxed a bit and grew a slightly confused look, "Why are you even talking to me? I helped kill your friend. How do you know I'm not going to kill another one?" Scott's eyes slid to me while Stiles spoke up. 

"Is he looking at me? Are you threatening me? You know what I'm gonna do?" Oh lord, you got Stilinski started, "I'm going to break off an extra-large branch of mountain ash," He stepped closer to Ethan who regarded him warily, "Wrap it in some Wolfsbane, roll it in mistletoe, and shove it up your freaking-!"

"Whoa, Stiles, okay," Scott patted his chest, "We get it," Scott cut him off, making him back up and chill. 

I flinched, "Ouch. That would suck," I muttered as I studied my nails. Ethan gave me the 'hush up' look. Why am I always being silenced?! I have the right to free speech!

"We're talking to you, because I know that you didn't want to kill Boyd. And I think that if something like that happened now, you wouldn't do it again."

Ethan flexed his jaw and relaxed, "You don't know what we owe them, especially Deucalion," Stiles tilted his head to the side, "We weren't like Kali and Ennis when we met him. We weren't Alphas." 

Scott looked confused, "What were you?"

"Omegas," He and I spoke at once. The boys all passed a glance at me. "Message received. Shutting up," I mumbled and Ethan squeezed my leg. It wasn't harsh like Aiden, simply an almost affectionate warning. I continued to inspect my nails, having my hand under my elbow and leaning my hips against the wall. 

"In actual wolf packs, omegas are the scapegoat," Ethan started his story, "The last to eat, the one that has to take the abuse from the rest of the pack."

"So you and your brother were, like, the bitches of the pack?" Stiles asked and I snorted, biting my lip. 

"Something like that," Ethan answered calmly. 

"What happened?" Scott urged.

"They were killers," Ethan continued, "I mean, people talk about us as monsters," I could hear the agitation in his voice as he started to talk with his hands, "Well, they were the ones who gave us the reputation. And our Alpha was the worst of them," Hmm, sounds like my pack. Ethan locked eyes with Scott. 

"Why didn't you guys just fight back?" Stiles asked simply, "Form voltron wolf, you know? Kick everyone's asses?" 

This got Ethan really agitated, "We couldn't," He snapped, "We didn't know how to control it back then," I grabbed his arm and slid my hand into his, trying to calm him. This subject was Ethan's least favorite and it got him all worked up.

"Deucalion taught you," Scott reasoned. 

"And then, we fought," Ethan's blood was pumping as he recalled his memories, "We took down the whole pack, one-by-one. And by the time we got to our Alpha, he was begging for his life," Ethan's voice rose and he gripped my hand. He breathed, "And we tore him apart," His leg was shaking now, "Literally."

"What about your emissary?" Scott asked cautiously. Ethan shook his head, "They're all dead? Kali and Ennis' too?" Scott sounded surprised. 

Ethan continued to shake, "All of them except for Deucalion's," He looked back up at the boys. 

"You mean Morrell?" Stiles clarified. What would we do with Stiles amazing smartness?

Ethan was about to nod when his hand wrenched up to his chest and he gasped, "Ah!"

"What? What's wrong?" Scott became worried, "Are you hurt?"

"Not me," Ethan breathed, "My brother."

Scott and Stiles looked at each other with wide eyes, bolting down the stairs, Stiles, being his uncoordinated self, almost fell. Ethan and I followed, him keeping a hold on my hand. 

We quickly sprinted to the locker room where I heard a lot of growling. Ethan and Scott rushed in to grab Aiden who was holding a weight over his head, looking to hit Cora with again. 

Stiles and I rushed to her and I quickly inspected my baby sister's wound. She pushed me away weakly. 

"Aiden!" Ethan's voice rang out, "You can’t do this!"

"She came at me!" He protested.

"It doesn't matter!" Ethan pulled him back as we all looked at Cora, "Kali gave him until the next full moon. You can’t touch him or her," He made Aiden look at him. Aiden calmed, looking away. 

Cora groaned, putting her head in my lap. Everyone watched Aiden. When Ethan felt confident, he nodded to Scott to let Aiden go and chirruped at me. 

I gave him a fierce look and held to Cora tightly. He glared back, his Alpha stare dominating me. He hustled Aiden out and I kissed Cora's forehead before having to get up. She let her fingers slip from mine and I held back a sniffle. I bumped Scott's shoulder as I followed the twins, "Take care of my baby sister," He nodded to me. 

"I'll text you," He mumbled quietly and I nodded, wiping my nose before I sniffled. I hung my head low, ashamed that I had left her behind.

 

I stood between the brothers as we walked down the hallway. Ethan held tightly to my hand so Aiden wouldn't. Suddenly a bloodcurdling scream startled us all, "Lydia..." Aiden bolted to the source of the sound while Ethan and I made our way in less of a hurry. We met up with Scott as we neared the classroom. 

We quickly figured out Mr. Westover had been taken. Aiden was already in the classroom rubbing Lydia's back. Ethan gripped my hand tighter and pulled me closer as he grumbled to Scott, "A deputy and a teacher? What's the pattern?" 

Scott looked focused on what was going on in the classroom but answered anyway, "I don't know..."

"That's helpful," Ethan puffed. I snuffed as if I had smelt dirty gym socks and clutched my nose, "What?" Ethan asked and Scott gave me a sideways glance. 

"She smells funny," I replied in that Squidward voice you get when you hold your nose. 

They both furrowed their brows, "Who?" Scott asked. 

"Blake," The two looked at each other, equally confused, "I don't know what it is. She smells funny and is giving off a really weird vibe."

Ethan shrugged it off, "Those Ghost Wolf senses are just messing with you."

I shook my head, "I rely on my senses too much for them to fool me. Something is up with her I just can’t place it..."

"Well it doesn't matter," Ethan mumbled, "Come on. Let's go," He gripped my hand and pulled me away from the classroom. 

 

We walked into the recital and I preoccupied Aiden so Ethan could go see Danny. I watched Ethan tie Danny's sleek black tie. Ethan bit his lip, fixing Danny's hair and straightening the collar of his crisp white shirt. He dug around in his pocket and shook an icebreaker into his hand, slipping it into Danny's mouth. 

I peeked over my shoulder to see Aiden and Lydia before sneaking over to the lovebirds. I almost thought they were going to kiss until Ethan spoke, "Listen," He told Danny before he went on stage, "If anything happens, find me, okay? Find me first," Danny nodded and I came up behind Ethan, smiling at the boy toy. 

"Have a good show Danny boy. I'll be sure to keep him warm for ya," I winked at Danny who turned bright red. I smiled proudly, linking my arm with Ethan's. 

"Really?" He sounded exasperated, "Was that necessary?" 

"Completely," I grinned and he rolled his eyes with a sigh. When we turned around I saw Aiden leaning on a doorway, glaring at his twin. He and Ethan said nothing to each other as we walked up to him. He gave us a hard glare and clenched his jaw before going to our seats. 

As the lights dimmed and the recital started, Aiden looked over his shoulder so he could find Lydia. He gave her a quick nod before settling again. I rolled my eyes at the hypocrite. 

Suddenly a scent caught my attention and my senses went on high alert, tuning everything else out but him. I slowly turned to look behind me. I locked eyes with him for a moment before his eyes flickered to the twins I sat in between. I shook my head sadly. He gave a grim smile and nodded, breaking my gaze. 

As I settled Ethan raised his brow at me. I shook my head. Ever since Isaac had stopped the panic attack, Ethan had grown a new respect for him. Ethan was willing to break the rules for me to see him. 

Aiden started feeling around in his pockets and Ethan questioned him, "What's up?" 

"Nothing," He snapped, "I just think I lost my phone..." Ethan didn't push any further. 

The chorus started becoming more dramatic and the three of us all exchanged confused and uncomfortable looks. Then, all at once, we clutched our heads in pain. A deafening shriek was attacking our sensitive hearing. 

When it stopped, the tempo of the music had risen and the chorus belted a strange tune. The woman on the piano suddenly stopped and I gasped. A cord had snapped and slit her throat open.

Everything was rushed as shrieking and shouting occurred. Everyone ran out of the theatre, trampling each other. I noticed the Argents running towards the stage, Isaac close behind. Why the hell is he hanging around them?!

Ethan jumped up, rushing for his Danny boy. Aiden snatched my arm pulling me out of the building. "Stay," He told me before running inside the school. I was left in the parking lot, standing alone and confused. The motorcycles were at the edge of the parking lot that was close to the woods. The brush behind me shook but I tried to ignore it, suspecting the wind had rushed through it. I shivered from the lack of having a coat and the breeze that blew up the back of my ripped shirt. 

The brush shook again and this time I whipped around to look at it. A growl emanated from them and my eyes got wide as bright blue eyes appeared. 

"Luna!" I heard a yell, looking quickly to see Isaac running for me with Ethan not far behind. I screamed as the slash faced Beta jumped out at me, nailing me in the head with his elbow. 

"Isaac!" I shouted, as black dots appeared at the edge of my vision. Something wet dripped down my neck and Isaac and Ethan stopped short when a cool blade set its place on my neck. 

"Hush now, little girl. I know you killed him, all I have to do now is kill you and I get his power," A sick chuckle slithered out in his thick Scottish accent. He set the blade closer to my neck until the simple shift of gulping made me bleed. A tear leaked out of my eye as I grabbed his arm to try and stop him; my vision worsened. 

I could see Isaac almost in tears and Ethan mentally blaming himself for leaving me alone. My eyes fluttered as the sick beta licked his lips, ready to slit my throat. Suddenly I heard a zing and I was falling to the ground. Isaac fell to his knees, an unheard scream ripping out of his lungs.   
My body jostled as it hit the ground and the last thing I saw before my vision went out was a shoe that blocked Isaac from my sight.


	28. .27

All I could see was Isaac on his knees, screaming my name. Everything was silent. I could only hear my own heart beating slower and slower. Something warm trickled down my throat...

I gasped, sitting up straight and then regretting it as pain shot through my head and my vision went blurry. "Luna!" Someone gasped. I faintly heard Ethan's panicked voice. A growl was emitted and when I regained my vision and I saw Ethan cowering away from someone.

"What in hell...?" My eyes soon met my father's pale white ones. I jumped when thunder cracked over our heads. My father looked away from me, turning to Ethan. 

"Get your brother and get to the hospital. You know the plan," Ethan nodded quickly to Deucalion before scurrying out. Dad looked at me, "And you. Of all the stupid and foolish things..." Here we go... "You're like a dumb blonde from a horror movie. You go looking for trouble! You made absolutely no defense measures! Plus, I am not happy the twins left you. If time wasn't critical, they'd be punished severely."

I rolled my eyes, "Chill out. I'm alive aren't I?" I said to him calmly, swinging my legs over the bed. I was still dressed in my outfit from earlier. 

"Only because I was able to save you in time! If I hadn't been there, you would be dead!" He yelled at me. My fingers found their way to my throat and I felt a thin line, like a scar, running along the base of my neck. 

"He actually slit my throat...?" I murmured more to myself than anything. 

"Yes he did. He was the Darach's accomplice. You are meant to be a sacrifice. Maybe not for a particular group but it does want you. And mainly because you’re my daughter. If it has you, then it has something to use against me. Therefore, you are not to leave my side tonight. Understood?"

"Whoa, wait. You said you killed everyone in Damien's pack-,"

"Some fled," He cut me off.

"So the Darach, what like brainwashed him?" 

"He hates you in the first place. I don't think he needed much influence to take you out, especially if he was offered something in return."

"Well that's comforting..." I grumbled. 

"Which is exactly why you're not leaving my side. We're going to the Beacon Hills hospital. I want the Darach dead, and if trapping it is the only way to kill it... so be it," Fantastic.

 

Deucalion gripped my arm as we walked through the hospital door, Kali close behind us. We casually walked past all the commotion and turned a corner just as an elevator dinged. 

A woman was standing there, my teacher to be exact, looking scared as hell. Kali and dad went on the offense. My father removed the cap off his walking stick revealing the blade hidden underneath.

He launched it at the wall next to Ms. Blake's head. She ran back into the elevator and rapidly pushed the button as Kali charged after her. Kali grabbed the doors just before they closed and tried to force them open. Jennifer Blake's eyes turned white as she threw her hands in front of her, banging them against the elevator doors and using an invisible force to send Kali flying back at us. 

"Holy shit..." I mumbled, looking at my father's expression. His jaw was set and so many thoughts swarmed in his hidden eyes. This act didn't surprise him, in fact, he expected it. 

As Kali got up, Melissa McCall stepped out from another hallway, pressing the elevator button. She paused, noticing my father's cane stuck in the wall. He silently crept his way toward her with Kali and I close behind. Melissa pulled it out of the wall, studying the blade for only a second before my father's hand shot out to grab it, surprising her. "Thank you, Ms. McCall," He said to her, placing the cap back on his cane. Kali and I stood behind him with slight smirks as Melissa stared at him.

"You're him, aren't you?"

"Him?" Dad pretended to be clueless as he lowered his cane. 

"The bad guy," She clarified.

I could tell he was smirking, "You have no idea..." I jumped as thunder cracked overhead and the power went out, our eyes illuminating our small area. Even my father's shined red through his sunglasses. It wasn't long before the backup generators hummed and the lights came back on. He grabbed Melissa's arm and nodded to Kali. She turned on her toe and strutted forward. I followed behind dad. 

The lights kept flickering as we walked. We finally arrived at the front desk and Deucalion pushed Melissa toward the intercom. "I'd like you to make an announcement..." He mumbled in her ear. He stayed close to her ear as to whisper in it what he wanted her to say. That, and to profoundly terrify her. 

I hopped up on the counter, watching as Melissa shakily grabbed the intercom microphone and gulped before pressing the button. "Um, c-can I have your attention?" She started, "Mr. Deucalion,-" He growled in her ear and she shied away, correcting herself, "E-excuse me, just Deucalion, requests you bring the woman calling herself Jennifer Blake to the E.R. reception. Do this and everyone else can leave. You have ten minutes," You feel the nervousness peeling off of her in waves as well as hear it in her voice. 

Dad smirked, "Thank you, Ms. McCall," In the duration of this speech, I had finally noticed that Kali had disappeared. "Now, if you'd be so kind as to lead us to the backup generator, I'd appreciate it," He nudged her, basically giving her no choice. He chirruped me and I narrowed my eyes at him, trailing behind. I'm not a damn horse... I thought to myself. 

We finally reached the roof and I grumbled not at the fact that it was raining because to be quite frank, I love the rain; when I have a sweatshirt with a hood. I seemed to be missing that article of clothing tonight. So did Melissa. She led us to a lever that my father yanked down on, cutting off the light above us as well as power to the rest of the building. "Thank you. That was more than helpful," He said to her. 

"What now? What do you want with me?" She pulled her sweater closer to her and looked up at him. 

"You? You're my gesture of good will," I raised my eyebrow at him, knowing he never did anything without a reason. 

Melissa seemed confused as well, "What?"

"Go find your son," He stated simply, stepping back a step from her. She regarded him warily before sliding past us and running across the roof. "Do yourself a favor Melissa," He called after her, "Be careful out there."

I snorted and she quickly looked back at us, not slowing for a moment. I jumped again and cowered slightly as thunder boomed and lightning sizzled across the sky. "Uh, don't you think we should get off the roof? You know, so we don't become barbeque?" I said to him over the pouring rain. I'm pretty sure he rolled his eyes but I couldn't tell. He just started walking the way Melissa had run, his cane clicking on the concrete. I grumbled to myself, following him. 

As we walked down a hallway, I sighed. The deep breath provided me with a smell that almost made my heart stop. Isaac... My wolf breathed. I huffed as I heard the twins roar, "I should be out helping them you know."

"No," He said.

"Why not?" I complained. 

He whipped around back at me, "I already told you," He snarled, struggling to keep his cool, "Jennifer wants you. If she has you, she has an advantage over me!"

"I'm strong! Almost as strong as the twins put together!"

He rolled his eyes and turned around, walking forward, "Right. Which is exactly why a disgraced beta slit your throat earlier tonight."

"That doesn't count. I wasn't ready," I pouted. 

"Do you think any of her victims were ready? Do you think any of them had a warning?" He growled. 

"And since when do you care if people had a warning?" I raised a brow.

"I don't," He hissed and turned around to grip my shoulders, "You are my kryptonite, Nikita. I can’t let her have you; you're all I have left."

"Uh huh," I shimmied out of his grip, "I'm sure that's the only reason," I walked ahead of him, "Oh and just FYI, everyone calls me Luna. It sounds less threatening. And where'd you get the superman reference, old man?" I said to him as I heard his footsteps behind me. He grumbled under his breath in response. As we walked, something my mother had said to me popped into my brain. "Mom always said I was either going to be the biggest threat, or the greatest triumph. That I was strong enough to do anything," I whispered, remembering my mother, "What did she mean?"

Dad sighed and stopped when we reached the doors to the E.R. reception. He pushed them open and held out his arm as if telling me to go in; I obeyed. "Sit," He told me and I hopped up on one of the tables, swinging my legs. "She said that because you're a purebred alpha. One of the-," 

"Strongest types of alphas," I cut him off, "Yeah I know."

"But you're also a ghost wolf. An extinct breed of powerful werewolf. Plus you're a female alpha, making you even more lethal when the time comes," He muttered the last part under his breath and confusion flashed on my face but I didn't push it. I may finally get to know who I am. Or who I'm supposed to be. "Jennifer sees you as a threat."

I laughed, "Me? How can I be a threat?"

"Because of what you can become. I'll put it simply. You can either become really good or really bad. A hero or a villain. Either way, you will still be a leader. A strong one."

"Wait, so she wants to kill me because of my power, but she also wants to keep me to use against you?" 

"Basically," He shrugged, "She knows that even if she could kill me, you would simply take my place. Both your parents would be dead and you would assume the alpha position."

"Oh lovely. So I basically have to be an orphan to become an alpha," I muttered. 

"Not necessarily. But the only other way you could become an alpha is if I ascend you my power. And if I did that... the things coming from here, there, and everywhere would bow down to you. You'd be like... a dictator of the supernatural."

"Huh?"

"The power Jennifer is accumulating, sooner or later supernatural creatures of all kinds will be coming to Beacon Hills. It is literally a beacon. If you have full power potential by the time they come, they'll all be looking at you to lead."

"But... I'm just a teenager. And a girl for that matter, I'm not like a king. And there are things a lot more powerful than werewolves out there."

He smirked, "Talia did teach you."

"No," I shook my head, "Anastasiya did." 

"Well none the less. A ghost wolf is one of the first supernatural creatures and therefore stronger than most; wiser. And darling, I assure you, you are plenty old enough to be a queen. And back in the day of the first ghost wolves... women were better rulers than men."

"Yeah I know, you told me. Women were leaders, men were warriors."

"Yes but it's more than that. Ghost wolves have a natural power of leadership that no one quite understands. Girls especially. If I were to die, Kali and the twins would be compelled to your leadership. So would all the other wolves in the area. Including alphas like Derek Hale. Maybe even Scott. And when all the nasties arrive from what Jennifer's been doing, you will have a pack of monsters. That's where the whole She-Wolf thing comes from. A strong, independent, warrior woman." 

I gulped. He listened to our surroundings for a few minutes and I wondered where Kali was. I looked out the window at the moon and suddenly a question popped into my mind. "Dad? What... happens on the Lunar Eclipse?" 

"Uh, both I guess...?" I was confused. 

"Well to everyone else, they lose all their power. I lose partial power. You... you're like a queen during war. You've shown your soft side, your weak side. Now... on the lunar eclipse, you'll be stronger than Jennifer. The only setback is that you'll be stuck in your wolf form. You won’t be able to shift, but you'll be incredibly strong."

"So... I'll be a wolf, but... I'll be as strong as the Darach?" He nodded, "Then isn't it a good thing she captures me? Then I can fight her when no one else can?"

Fire burned in his eyes, "Absolutely not! You won’t even be seeing her the night of the eclipse!"

"But if I'm stronger than here don't you think that would be the smart idea? I could fight her so she doesn't kill anyone while they're defenseless," I argued back. 

"No!" He declared, "She could still kill you. Use you against me. I won’t let that happen. I won’t let her take the only thing I care about in life."

"Dad, I'm not a baby anymore! When are you going to realize that? I can handle myself," I crossed my arms over my chest.

"Your actions recently haven't really proved that to me, now have they?" Besides, you can't even control your power enough to fight her," He countered, obviously expecting to win this fight.

"You said yourself that I'll be stronger than her! And I think I handle myself very well in a fight. Your own sister taught me how to fight."

"That doesn't mean you can fight Jennifer. She's more powerful than anything you've ever encountered."

"Then why don't you teach me!"

"I will teach you when the time is right," He said solemnly.

"That's the point, dad. We're running out of time! If you could just see how skilled I am in a fight-,"

"Even if you're half as skilled as Anastasiya was it still does not mean I will allow you to fight her! I won’t let you even go near her," He cut me off. 

"I could always sneak out," I sassed, not really being serious but angry enough to say it.

"And I could always lock you up like Rapunzel if that's what you force me to do!" 

I flexed my jaw and snorted at him in anger, "You treat me like I'm two. I'm not a baby. Mom would've let me."

He rolled his eyes, turning away from me and looking out the window, "Your mother was unpredictable. And you will always be my baby, Aluna," He whispered.

I let go of some of the anger and sighed, about to reply to him when Kali burst open the metal doors to the E.R. reception, immediately scolding my father, "You should've kept his mother."

"Is that so?" He said casually and uninterested. He hid all previous emotion he may have had from our conversation and I did the same. I pulled my legs up underneath me to sit crisscross on the operating table. I've always been extremely flexible. I thank my uncle for that. He always pushed my limits and even though everyone still thinks he's the bad guy, I know different. He got ruined. He lost a mate, just like my father. 

"You have a soft spot for him," I tuned back into to Kali and Deucalion's conversation. She leaned her hands on the table I was sitting on. 

"I have an investment I'm trying to mature. If you want to talk about soft spots, let's talk about Jennifer Blake. Or... what was her name again?"

Kali looked taken aback, "Julia." 

"Ah," He turned to face her.

"I didn't understand why I had to kill her too. She was harmless. But I did it because you wanted me to," He took off his glasses, "I did everything you asked to be a part of this pack."

"You did it to be with Ennis," He shot back, "So don't point that accusing toe at me," I bit my tongue to hold back a laugh, "And as for harmless, how harmless does she look now?"

"I thought she was dead," Kali reasoned.

Dad draped his fingers across the table behind him, fingering for his cane. He picked it up off the table and moved closer to Kali, "Did you?" He kept his gaze steady. Even though he couldn't see, you still felt like he was staring into your soul. Just seeing him do it Kali made me squirm and lower my eyes. It didn't affect Kali as much. Must be an Alpha thing.

"Are you asking... if maybe there was a moment of uncertainty?" He rolled his eyes and turned away from her, "That when I walked away thinking she was dead, that maybe I turned back?" He trailed his fingers along another metal table next to mine, obviously caring less about what Kali was saying but listening anyway, "And maybe I saw her there, lying perfectly still, but I focused my hearing anyway. Listened to the sound of her heart still beating, still fighting for life, and I thought, 'I could go back and finish it," She was no longer looking at Deucalion, instead staring straight ahead as he made his way around the table and closer to her, "Or I could let someone I love die peacefully.' And maybe... I just kept walking," Her eyes flickered to the side, trying to spot him using her peripherals. 

He came up next to her ear and said sarcastically, "My hearts bleeds for you, Kali. Apparently hers could've bled a little more," He growled and moved away from her. Kali stood still, trying to fight the tears that were trying to well up in her eyes. 

We heard movement and Dad listened intently for a few minutes. Kali regained her composure and moved up behind him, "What are they doing?"

"Plotting," He answered simply. 

"Fantastic," I grumbled, inspecting my nails. Dry blood was caked under a few of them and I picked it out, putting my tongue out of my mouth and chewing on it as I did so. I did it to distract me from worrying. Isaac's here and I know Kali and the Twins will hurt anybody in their way of getting Jennifer, including my mate. 

Kali looked down as we heard heels running across the tiled floor. She literally jumped out the window, shattering the glass. I covered my eyes and Dad simply listened. I heard arrows and gunshots being fired from below us, outside the hospital entrance. The power suddenly flickered back on. 

My father motioned for me to come with him as we made our way back to the rooftop. Luckily, the rain had stopped. Scott burst through the door in front of us, seeing as we had gone a back way, yelling for his mother. "They're gone," Dad said as we stepped into Scott's line of vision, "Guardians, Scott. If you were with me, I could've told you what it meant; I could've warned you. Let me help you, Scott. Let's help each other. You help me catch her and I'll help you get your mother and Stiles' father back," My father was doing what he's best at; manipulation. Offering a deal you can't resist. 

Scott looked like he was about to cry. He'd lost so much in such a short amount of time. I guess his mother was the last straw. They locked gazes for a moment before Scott, sluggishly made his way towards us. "Scott!" Stiles showed up and called to his best friend. Scott turned around slowly. "Scott, don't do this. Don't go with him," Stiles begged him. 

"I don't know what else to do," Scott stated.

"No, there's g-," Stiles choked, "Scott, there's got to be something else, okay? We always-we always have a plan B."

Scott snuffed, shaking his head, "Not this time."

"Scott!" Stile pleaded. 

"I'm going to find your dad. I promise," Scott turned and joined us while Stiles opened his mouth to protest but nothing came out. 

He finally called out to Scott one more time, a little softer than before, "Scott!" Scott ignored him, following Deucalion and I as we disappeared. I gave Scott a look as if to ask, 'Is everyone alright?' He nodded and I smiled slightly at him, squeezing his hand reassuringly. Sadly, he looked like reassurance was the last thing he wanted. I could feel the anger inside of him, bubbling over the top. Right now, all he wanted was Jennifer Blake's head on a platter. Even worse, that's what my father wanted too.


	29. .28

I could hear the twins howl as they chased Morrell through the woods. Yet here I sat, watching my father marvel at a firefly. Scott stepped up next to him, "It's a firefly," He stated uneasily. 

"Unusual for this region," My father mused. I rolled my eyes, crossing my leg over the other and resting my elbow on my knee, flicking the dirt out from underneath my nail.

"It's because of Jennifer, isn't it?" Scott asked, "Just before all this started, a deer crashed into Lydia's car. The cats went crazy at the animal clinic. Birds flew into the high school. That was all her," He figured. 

Dad flexed his jaw, "They say animals can sense natural disasters before they're about to happen. Maybe they can sense supernatural ones as well," He replied rather vaguely.

"Does she scare you?" Scott became curious.

Dad passed a glance in my direction, "She concerns me if she's willing to kill that many innocent people for her cause, people like your mother and Stiles' father," He looked around again, probably listening for the twins. 

Scott gave him a hard look, "Are you willing to kill innocent people?"

Once again, he turned his head in my direction briefly before turning away, "I'll kill any living thing that gets in my way," He looked over at Scott before he began walking once he herd the twins finally corner Morrell. Why he wanted to kill his own emissary, I didn't know.

I watched as Morrell's circle of mountain ash repelled the twins. Kali jumped out too, scaring Morrell further. I trailed behind Scott as my father used his cane. He suddenly snapped his fingers and I sighed, moving to his side. "How did you know, Marin, that we'd come for you?" He taunted her, knowing he had her right where he wanted her. 

"Because Jennifer and I are the same. And I know you've always been suspicious of us, of what we can do," She answered.

Kali stepped forward, "With good reason. We know you sent that girl - the one who helped Isaac," Ethan's eyes flickered to me, as did Morrell's. It's true; I had begged Morrell to save Isaac, because even back then I loved him enough to want him alive. And I think Morrell knew he was my mate before I did. Kind of like Deaton. 

"What was her name?" Dad asked, turning his head to the side slightly to listen for my heartbeat. I gulped. He knew I'd asked Morrell to help me too - he didn't miss a beat - but given the recent discoveries he wasn't concerned too much about it anymore. Even as cruel as he is, I don't think he would kill his daughter's mate, because like he said; a wolf only mates once in their life. If you lose your mate...your broken forever. I shuttered. I couldn't even bare losing Isaac. 

"Braeden," Morrell snapped, "And I sent her to do what I've always done - maintain balance." 

Ethan locked gazes with me, 'this is about to get real messy, little girl,' He mouthed to me. 

I smirked at him, 'You and Dad are still naïve enough to believe I can’t take care of myself,' He raised a brow at me, "I'm a ninja remember?' I winked at him and assumed the praying mantis position. He bit his lip, trying to contain his laugh. This is my life with Ethan. Secret conversations. I put my hand flat and brought it down near Dad's neck. Ethan snorted and rolled his eyes, turning back to Kali and Morrell. 

"What do you know about Jennifer?" Kali questioned. 

"Nothing more than you know," Morrell replied sassily, before turning to Scott, "This isn't you, Scott. Go back to your friends."

Scott looked uneasy as Deucalion answered for him, "He can decide what's right for himself."

"Not without all the information. Have you told him everything you've done?" She asked, her eyes flashing to me and then back to dad, "How you've piled up bodies in a narcissistically psychotic effort to form your perfect pack? How you slayed an entire pack all in the name of your daughter? How you tried to get her to kill a defenseless man?" She looked at me and I lowered my head. I couldn't kill Damien. I just didn't have it in me. "Bodies that include Ennis by the way," She looked at Kali briefly. A confused look crossed Kali's face as she looked at Deucalion, "My brother saved him," She looked around at all the pack members. Even the twins looked at Deucalion curiously. I'd suspected it. One, Deaton never fails and something he had said clued me in, I was just never brave enough to confront Dad about it. "He was alive when Deucalion went in to see him. He wants you to go after Derek, Kali, to force his decision," Kali gulped, looking at Deucalion more hopelessly by the second. Morrell eyed Deucalion who flexed his jaw and held his chin a little higher. "If Derek joins the pack, it paves the way for Scott," Scott now looked at Deucalion questioningly. 

Dad sighed, "The lies people will tell when they're begging for their life."

I looked down, mumbling just loud enough for the pack to hear me, "Emissary's never lie. They maintain balance. They don't lie." The Twins looked at me and so did Scott and Kali. Morrell smirked. Dad's upper lip quivered as he clenched his jaw.

Morrell squared him off, taking a step forward and lifting her chin higher, "Ask him." Suddenly, Dad snapped. As quick as lightning, he removed the cap off his cane, unsheathing the blade and threw it at Morrell. 

Scott jumped as the cane hit Morrell in the shoulder. I gasped, rushing toward her when her foot slipped back and broke the mountain ash shield. Kali and the twins growled, stalking toward her. Scott appeared on the other side of her, yelling at the others, "Hey, back off," for some odd reason, they listened. Ethan crept closer to me, staying outside the circle but close enough to grab me. I was kneeling beside Morrell and looked at Scott before shifting my eyes to the cane. He looked at Morrell and she nodded. He gripped the cane and pulled it out as she grunted and yelped. I took it from Scott and it shimmered with an orange glow in my hand before turning into a pile of ash. Everyone looked at me in amazement while my father growled and I don't think it was because it crisped his cane. 

Morrell panted, looking at me, "I always knew you'd be something great. Don't let them corrupt you. Do you remember that story I told you? Of the White Queen?" I nodded, chewing my lip and clutching her hand, "Remember how the queen had two people she loved above all else?" 

I nodded, "Her guardian and her lover."

She smiled slightly at me, her eyes flickering to Ethan who had his brows furrowed, "It wasn't a story, Luna. It was a prophecy about you," I gasped quietly, slightly shocked, "Fill in the puzzle pieces and make your own decisions. You know better than anyone the true product of corruption," She trailed her finger along a scar on my arm. I shivered, Damien. She turned back to Scott. 

"I'm not going to let them kill you," He told her, snapping out of his thoughts, "But if you know something, if you know where they are-,"

She cut him off, "The Nemeton. You find that, you'll find Jennifer. Find the Nemeton," Scott nodded slightly. Morrell looked at me again, "You know what you need to do. In your heart, it feels right. Always listen to your heart. It will tell you the answers your cluttered mind can’t produce. It will never lead you astray," She glanced at Ethan again, "And one last thing; always put your faith in the person who would risk their own life for yours." I bit my lip and looked up at Ethan. He nodded to me and held out his hand. I took it and he helped me up. 

I looked at Morrell and Scott one more time. She nodded and nudged me. I let out a shaky breath. I knew what I had to do but Dad was not going to like it. Neither was Ethan for that matter. 

 

"Knowing you, you’re going to slice your feet open," Ethan muttered as we trudged through the woods. I had taken my heels off since I had almost broken my ankle twice. 

"I would've broken my ankle if I didn't!"

"If you didn't wear ankle breakers for shoes, that wouldn't happen now would it?"

"Are you suggesting we make a pit-stop at the penthouse so I can change, because I'm down with that," I huffed, trying to keep up with him. 

"No, we don't have time. Kali and Aiden are about to rip your 'guardian' to pieces."

"How do you know Morrell was talking about him?" I questioned. 

"Well... I don't know. I just, ugh, I feel like he's important somehow. Like one of the 'puzzle pieces'."

"And you'd be willing to risk your own allegiance to help me protect him?" 

He grabbed my hand and pulled me closer to him as we reached the animal clinic, "Baby girl, I'd risk anything for you."

"Aw," I panted, "I'm touched," I wiped away an imaginary tear as we walked through the door of the animal clinic, causing the bell to ring.

Deaton immediately appeared and Ethan spoke first, "We're looking for Lydia."

Lydia came out with Scott behind her, "What do you want?"

"I need your help," He looked down at me, "We need your help."

Stiles popped his head around the corner too, "With what?" 

They all looked at us confused and slightly worried. I breathed in deeply and my wolf whispered to me, "He's here," I relayed to Ethan, low enough so only he could hear. 

He answered Stiles' question, "Stopping my brother and Kali... from killing Derek." Isaac and Allison appeared. 

"Luna..." I smiled at Isaac who came running at me. I squealed as he lifted me up and kissed me, "Are you alright? Where have you been?"

"Locked away in the tower of doom," His eyes widened with a horrified expression, "Metaphorically speaking," I grinned. He narrowed his eyes at me, growling, pulling me close and nipping my neck. 

"I don't believe it..." Deaton trailed off, "All this time I had my suspicions, but now... I see it's true," I moved closer to Ethan, Isaac at my other side. I felt safe between them. Like nothing in the world could hurt me. We all gave Deaton a confused look. 

"Um, what's true?" Scott questioned. 

"The Triskelion. It's an old druid legend. The oldest of species, unites with the youngest forming a triskele of once Alpha, Beta, Omega now Warrior, Lover, Queen." 

Ethan, Isaac and I all looked strangely at each other. "Is he talking about the same thing Morrell was hinting at?" I whispered to Ethan. 

Deaton answered for him, "Yes. She must've told you the story." 

"Um, she told me a story and then said it was a legend about me."

"Yes, yes. Aluna, the mother of wolves, priestess of the moon. That's why your mother chose that name. She knew one day, you'd become it. That it would fit. She hid you from your father solely so he couldn't corrupt you. Turn you into something you’re not. Or potentially something that could threaten all of our existences..."

"Wait," Ethan said, "In the story Morrell told us, there was the White Queen and her guardian and savior. She led us to believe the guardian and savior was the same person. But then when she said it tonight, she made it seem like the guardian and lover were the same person."

Deaton shook his head, "No. The Savior isn't in the Triskelion, but he is equally important. Did she explain to you about the loyalty to the Queen and how it could corrupt her?" We shook our heads. Everyone in the room looked utterly confused. Isaac rubbed circle's on the small of my back, causing all my muscle's to completely relax. "Well there was another legend, or more like prophecy, about the final battle. The Queen had been fed lies from a mole and became wary of her court. The night before the battle, at a ceremonial dinner, she secretly fed them all her blood. It was in a chalice and she told them it was red wine. 

"Six people were given the chalice, only 5 drank from it. The Warrior, or should I say 'warriors', The Mate/Lover, The Savior, and The Fighter."

"Wait," I cut him off, "Who’s the fighter?" 

"The one The Savior, well, saved," He explained, "The Savior not only saved the Queen but also the Fighter. He's called the Fighter because he survived against the odds. He is also related to the Queen."

"Who didn't drink from the chalice?" Stiles asked.

“The Adversary,” Deaton said, rather grimly, “He weakened the connection of them all, and almost cost the Queen her life when she fought the battle.”

“If he was basically the enemy,” Lydia inquired, “Why did she think he was going to drink from the chalice?”

“He was related to the Queen. She had known him since she was a little girl. She trusted him. She was almost positive he would have her back and while he cared for her, his own personal gain was more important. He fooled everyone. Worst of all... he was the mole," Deaton said sadly, looking at all of us. “In the end, he betrayed her and she was almost not able to win the fight.”

“You said almost. What happens in the end?” I ask wanting to be able to warn Derek before it’s too late.

“The Queen won, but had to sacrifice something dear to her. Something she almost couldn’t live without…” He looked at Isaac.

I closed my eyes, gulping, “Her mate,” Deaton nodded. Isaac’s heart beat jumped, racing.

“W-what does that mean?” Isaac asked worriedly.

Deaton looked at me and I knew he wasn’t going to tell me directly. I sighed, “Well it means one of two things. Either the mate dies, or the mate is taken away from her. Whether that be in memory or otherwise.”

Deaton smiled, “If you caught that, you must’ve also caught something else. The rather important detail.” I scrunched my brow.

“This isn’t the final battle,” Ethan said, “We haven’t found the Fighter.” 

Deaton winked at him, “But you know how in tournaments they have semi-finals that feel just as important as finals?” Deaton asked, to which the three of us nodded simultaneously, “You might want to consider this a semi-final. And let me tell you, it’s going to pack a punch.” Well thanks Deaton for telling us a nice little story before letting us walk into our doom.

 

I stood beside Ethan as he told Derek about what's coming. Lydia stood on his other side. I was still trying to process all the information Deaton had provided. Ethan told me in the car that I was thinking too much and I probably was. I was doing what Morrell told me, piecing the puzzle together. Isaac is my mate. I know that for a fact. Ethan has to be my guardian/warrior but Deaton said warriors and in plural. I think Derek has to be my other guardian. But who’s the savior? Or the fighter for that matter? Worst of all, the only person I could think of that's related to me and as evil as the adversary is my father. That scared me. 

Suddenly my uncle's voice broke into my conscious, dragging me from my thoughts. "Good enough for me, Derek?" He turned to his nephew. 

"You want me to run?" Derek asked, not looking at him. 

"No. I want you to stay and get slaughtered by an Alpha with a psychotic foot fetish," Oh my uncle. Looking out for us with his crude humor. ...Does he play a role in the battle? "Of course I want you to run. Sprint, gallop, leap your way the hell out of this town." 

"If you want to fight and die for something, that's fine with me, but do it for something meaningful," My young sister said wisely.

"How do you know I'm going to lose?" Derek asked cockily. 

"We don't," Peter said cautiously, "But I'll bet she has an idea," He looked to Lydia who suddenly looked scared. It was probably because one he used her to resurrect himself and two because my uncle is god damn intimidating. "Don't you Lydia?" 

"I don't know anything," Lydia admitted quietly. 

Peter stepped up to her, "But you feel something don't you?" 

"What do you feel?" Derek asked her, hopefully. 

She looked away from everyone, "I feel like... I'm standing in a graveyard," Cora's heartbeat jumped and Derek's eyes became sad. 

"Derek," I said softly, "You gave up your alpha abilities to save Cora, and while I commemorate you for that, you’re a beta now. You have no chance against Kali. Besides, if she waits close enough to the lunar eclipse, Jennifer will come looking for her and anybody in her way of killing the alphas will go down with her. Including you three," I explained. "Hell I can’t even beat Kali and I'm some kind of White Queen or whatever..." I mumbled and Ethan smiled a bit, twining our fingers together. I put my head down and didn't see the curious look my uncle gave me.

My uncle stepped closer to me causing Ethan to narrow his eyes; I gave his hand a squeeze. "Look who’s made a comeback. Our little Omega is earning herself some Alpha authority."

I smirked at him, "I am a ninja. I'm sly and cunning. I get what I want in the sneakiest of ways," I repeated the pledge he and I made up, "I only learned from the best, Obi-Wan."

He smiled coyly, patting my head, "Yes. Indeed you did, my little grasshopper," He turned around and in the window I could see the almost sinister smirk on his face. I brushed it off, that's how he always looks. 

 

Derek, Cora, and Peter all had made themselves scarce by the time Kali and Aiden showed up. "Where is he?" Kali asked angrily. Ethan and I stood in the same position on either side of Lydia; arms crossed over our chests and regarding the situation vigilantly. I'd told Ethan he was going to have to worry less about me and more about defenseless Lydia. That also made me worry for myself. Aiden I could take no problem, Kali... that's iffy. 

Lydia snapped her fingers like 'aw shucks', "I think he said he was heading out to do some shopping, run a few errands, the usual," Lydia cleared her throat, "Werewolf afternoon."

"Who do you think you're talking to?" Kali stalked toward her and Ethan's muscles tensed. I locked gazes with Aiden, raising a brow. He looked between Lydia and Kali several times, biting his lip uneasily. I smirked; he wasn't going to let Kali hurt her.

"Someone in desperate need of a pedicure," Lydia crossed her arms, "I'd be happy to give you a referral." I'm starting to like Lydia. Kali took a step toward her and Aiden growled, stepping forward a step himself. 

Kali looked annoyed as she turned around to face him, "Oh really?" Aiden growled again, looking like he was going to fight for Lydia. Kali approached him, "Someone take their little assignment too seriously?" 

Ethan eyed the both of them warily and the brothers exchanged glances before Aiden sighed, "She is not the problem."

Kali paced around him, stopping directly in front of his face, "Maybe the problem is where your loyalties lie."

"Oh god," Lydia muttered, "Is this about to get really violent?"

"Probably," Ethan and I said in sync. Suddenly the sky lights broke and someone came falling down. Ethan grabbed Lydia and I, moving us behind a beam. He held tightly to both of us as we crouched and Lydia was on her knees clutching his shirt. Usually that would be me but I was feeling confident tonight. Not as dependent on Ethan as usual. Stronger, even. I had my hand resting on his shoulder for support. I was still barefoot. 

As the woman flipped her hair back, I knew it could only be Jennifer Blake. "So, who wants to go first?" We all stared for a moment before Kali rushed up to her, throwing her deadly claws every which way. Jennifer dodged it all, pushing Kali back and sending her rolling through the air. Kali hit her head on the floor and didn't get back up. 

This time, Aiden stepped up to her. She sent him flying before he could even land a punch. Ethan growled and got up, unzipping his jacket as I pulled it off his shoulders. He went running to Aiden who was tearing off his own shirt and jacket. They locked arms and attempted to morph together but Jennifer grabbed their necks throwing them apart before they could mold completely. Lydia gasped and jumped up. I grabbed her wrist and pulled her back. 

Jennifer looked to Kali as she got up striding towards her. Kali cartwheeled around her and they faced off, "That's right, Kali. Look at me," Jennifer taunted, "Look at my face. Do you know what it takes to be able to look like this, to be able to look normal?" 

"I don't care," Kali shook her head and said emotionlessly. 

"It takes power. Power like this..." Jennifer spread her hands at her sides, making the broken window glass shake on the ground. 

"Oh shit," I mumbled, grabbing hold of Lydia. It clinked together as she lifted it off the ground. A breeze blew her hair as the glass swirled around her. Kali tried to hide her fear while Lydia just looked absolutely terrified. I was too to be honest. The clouds in the sky rumbled, lighting cracking in them. 

"I..." Kali tried to say, watching the glass roil around a smirking Jennifer, "I should've..." Jennifer faced the pointed tips of the glass at Kali who screamed, "I should've ripped your head off!" Jennifer's face contorted in anger as she released something of a battle cry and send the glass plunging into Kali's body. 

Lydia stood open mouthed as Kali fell to the floor. I closed my eyes sadly; glass had pierced her head and throat, she wasn't going to heal. Jennifer turned to Lydia and I once she happily watched Kali die. She started towards us but over her shoulder I could see the twins molding together. Then it struck me. My other guardian wasn't Derek, it was Aiden. The twins were my guardians. They're also considered the guardian because they can morph into one! 

Lydia breathed heavily and looked scared as hell. Given what Jennifer just did to Kali, I was too. The twins growled and Jennifer looked back at them. They started towards each other and the twins swiped a massive paw at her. She ducked under their arm, getting back to back with them before reaching up an arm and doing the unthinkable. 

 

... She snapped their neck.


	30. .29

My chest tightened and I gasped for air as I fell to my knees, clutching my heart. The twins fell, blood pouring from their mouth. I saw the light leave their eyes. I felt like I couldn't breathe. Like someone was holding my heart and squeezing it too tightly. Lydia looked down at them, gasping for breath as well. "What's the line coach likes to say?" Jennifer asked us, sick humor in her voice, "The bigger they are..." She smirked as Lydia and I looked up at her. 

"The harder they fall," I mumbled. Thunder rumbled above our heads and I didn't even flinch. I felt broken. Like someone had hit me with a hammer. I felt as though I couldn't go on. 

Lydia breathed shakily and backed up into the beam as Jennifer started towards her. Jennifer glanced down at me as tears poured down my cheeks and I stared helplessly at my guardian’s lifeless body. She looked away when she decided I wasn't a threat anymore. "What do you want from me?" I heard Lydia ask, terrified. 

"I want you to do what you do best, Lydia," Jennifer said, "I want you to scream," Suddenly I heard a roar and I looked back to see Jennifer as the slashed face demon. It worked though; Lydia screamed bloody murder. Jennifer's face returned to normal as she turned back to me. I was crawling towards their body, sniffling; the tears still pouring down my face. Jennifer grabbed my hair, lifting me off the ground with a yelp. "You're coming with me," She hissed in my ear. I should really listen to my father more often. 

"Like hell she is!" Suddenly the steel door burst open to reveal Derek and Cora. Jennifer looked slightly shocked, immediately dropping me. I fell to my hands and knees not being able to do anything else. Derek quickly assessed the situation, his eyes flickering to the two dead bodies and Lydia trying to hide behind the beam. Cora looked between me and Lydia and bit her lip, flashing me guilty eyes before rushing to Lydia. I crawled over to the twin’s body, maneuvering their head into my lap and rocking back and forth slowly, crying. "You did this for me?" Derek asked Jennifer, slightly angry when he saw my condition. 

"For us," Jennifer corrected, "For anyone who’s even been their victim," She tried to reason.

Derek's eyes flashed to me. I was stroking the twin’s hair muttering incoherently in denial. "Stop talking to me like a politician. Stop trying to convince me of your cause!" He stalked towards her angrily.

"Fine. I'll convince you of someone else's," She said indignantly, "Scott. You can save his mother, and Stiles' father," She huffed.

"How?" Derek asked. 

"I need a guardian," She walked toward him. Guardian. My brow furrowed as I looked down at my boys. If they're my guardians... what's Derek? "And that role can either be filled by the three parents I was forced to take or by you."

"I can’t help you," He said, standing his ground. Cora moved silently to me, "I'm not even an Alpha anymore," He muttered. Cora took my shoulders and tried to pull me away from the twins. 

"No!" I cried quietly, clinging to them. She sighed.

"All I need is for you to help me get Deucalion in the right place at the right time," I looked up at Jennifer, anger almost overpowering me. Cora's eyes widened and she moved in front of me, blocking my view of the maniacal bitch. She cannot kill the only family I have left. I wouldn't let her. 

"You just killed three of them on your own," Derek mused, "What do you need me for?" 

"You haven't seen him at his strongest. I have. He's not a normal wolf. If he's got Scott with him, I don't stand a chance unless I have you."

Cora turned around, still gripping my wrist," Derek, don't trust her."

"I have the eclipse in my favor, but the moons only going to be in the earth's umbral shadow for 15 minutes. That's the extent of my window. There's no decision to struggle with. Help me kill him, and the others live. Just help me," She sounded so desperate it was pathetic and sad. I've seen my father at his strongest. There's a reason they call him a demon wolf. She better be fucking afraid. 

"You won’t touch him," I snarled and they all turned to me.

"Luna, no!" I ripped my wrist out of Cora's grasp as I stood up. 

"You killed my guardians and I would slaughter yours if he wasn't my brother," I gnashed my teeth together, growling.

"Luna..." Derek warned as I stalked toward Jennifer. I would kill her. 

She smirked, "You're not nearly the wolf your father is. You're not even an Alpha!"

"Yet," I snapped, running towards her. My white lense came over my eyes and my 'x-ray' vision kicked in. She looked confused as I had suddenly disappeared. I snarled and slashed my claws across her back and she roared, her own eyes turning white. She whipped around and hit me in the head, hard. I was visible again and for some reason unable to shift halfway again. I came up on her backside and she reached her arm back to hit me when I grabbed it. I twisted her wrist back and she hit me in the head with her elbow. My vision was fuzzy for a second but I was able to jump back as she sliced her own nails at me. 

She threw a right hook at me that I dodged, ducking under and bracing my hands on the floor before donkey kicking her with both feet in the stomach. She stumbled back as I spun around, launching off my hands and landing on my feet. I scurried back, hoping she'd follow. She baseball dived to grab my foot and pull it back so she was in a crouch. I twisted my body around and landed her a kick in the chest with my free foot. I jumped up and swung on the pipe Derek had repaired after Kali broke it. I gathered enough momentum to hit her in the back with my feet. She lurched forward barely able to keep her balance. I somersaulted once I swung off the pipe and rolled under the desk that was there, shoving it at her. She used her 'power' to move it away. 

I ducked again as she tried to right hook me in the head again, doing a split and getting face to face with the floor when she tried to reciprocate on the left. I kicked her legs out from under her when I tried to jump back into a defensive position but she merely did a backflip, sticking her landing. I jumped up again, pushing off a beam and ripping the pipe out, trying to use it like a samurai stick. She grabbed the middle of it, kneeing me in the stomach. I fell back a bit, still holding to the pipe. She ripped it out of my grasp and hit me in the side with it. I managed to cartwheel and get up as she tried for my head again. I blocked the pipe with my wrists, probably bruising them. 

She kicked out at me but I jumped up, grabbing the pipe with one hand and trying to rip it out of her grip. It didn't work as she pulled me down and shoved me against the wall. I kneed her in the stomach again and hit her in the head with my elbow when she contorted. She slid back, regaining her balance as I blocked another hit, giving her a good punch in the gut. She recovered and I blocked another right hook, nailing her in the chin with my left elbow. I grabbed her arm and twisted it back when she tried to left hook me. I ducked, still holding her wrist where I had twisted it across her chest and pulled it down, flipping her over me. 

She somehow landed on her feet, shoving me against the wall. I kicked away from the wall and twisted my neck to bite her hand. My canines drew blood and she pulled back. I used her arm to flip over before kicking her in the back to send her to the ground. I was pleased with myself until her eyes turned white again and she lifted me by my throat against the beam without even touching me. I snarled at her, kicking my feet out and trying to get off the beam. The grip got tighter and I began coughing. My face must've turned red because Cora cried out and Derek grabbed Jennifer's arm, "Stop! I'll help you if you let her go!"

Jennifer growled, dropping me to the ground beside Kali's body. I gasped for air and Cora rushed over to me. "She's my leverage. Deucalion will do anything if I have her."

"You can’t hurt her," Derek growled. My fingers touched the tips of Kali's cold lifeless ones and I jerked as electricity shot up my spine. Energy flowed through me, making me stronger. My vision sharpened, my hearing became clearer, my claws ... became longer. Kali's eyes turned grey as a blue orb slipped out of her mouth and into mine. I looked over my body; I had just absorbed Kali's life essence. 

I scrambled over to the twins, taking their massive head and pressing my lips to theirs. I breathed out, sending a little white shining orb into their mouth. Their body shuttered and the red tint to their eyes shined a bit brighter but nothing else happened. Everyone looked at me strangely. "That's not possible..." Jennifer stormed over to me, gripping my hair and lifting me again. 

"No!" I yelled, reaching for the twins. She yanked my head back, pinning my wrists together and grabbing my chin. 

"You can’t be the White Queen. It's not possible..." She muttered.

I smirked viciously, "What did you expect from the last Ghost Wolf?" I spat. She growled, gripping the back of my neck and storming out the steel door. She pulled me up.

"Are you coming, Derek?" She said, sickly sweet. He sighed, trudging after us. "Prepare for everything you know to change, young queen," She hissed in my ear. 

"Your pathetic," I spat in disgust and she squeezed the back of my neck, digging her nails into it as she growled. 

"We'll see about that," She bound my wrists and dragged me out into the woods, looking at her phone to see the countdown to the lunar eclipse. Suddenly her phone dinged and I saw a video message from Scott. I furrowed my brow. 

He was standing in the abandoned distillery, "You see this symbol? It's a symbol of revenge," He said, referring to the one Ennis made in the tin wall so many years ago. He turned the camera to his face and I saw my father standing behind him. My heart jumped. "You talk about balance, about saving people. We know what you really want, and now you know where to find us." Thunder boomed and lightning cracked over our heads. Derek's eyes lingered on me but I didn't flinch. My upper lip quivered in a sneer as I stared at Jennifer menacingly. 

"You'll never beat him," I taunted. 

She growled pulling my hair back so my chin was forced up, "Watch me," She dragged me along until I could see the distillery and the faint outlines of my father and Scott inside. Derek stood behind us, and Scott looked surprised when he saw Derek and me. My father's expression flashed to fear for a half a second before returning to calm and collected. 

"What are you doing?" Scott asked Derek. 

"This might be hard to believe, but I'm actually trying to help you."

"Ooh, like brother against brother. How very American this is," Dad said sarcastically before sighing, "Are you ready Jennifer? Hmm?" She stared angrily at him, "Did you gather your herbs, pray to your ancient gods and your oak trees," He taunted, removing his jacket, "Slit a baby's throat perhaps?"

Jennifer wrapped an arm around my throat, "No, but I could snap your baby's neck," She smirked at him. I growled at her and she clenched tighter. My father blinked and the black film came over his eyes for a moment. I smirked at him, nodding. 

He ignored her comment, "Should we show them why you needed to sacrifice nine innocent people just to face me?" His voice grew darker and the hair on his cheeks emerged. "Or is it twelve now?" His skin became dark like a demon and his ears pointed, his eyes glowing red. An ugly sight really but that's what happens when a ghost becomes a demon. It's like a fallen angel sort of thing. He can’t turn into a wolf not because he's a demon but because that's a girl thing. My mother could do it and so can I. I’ve never heard of a male ghost who can turn into a wolf. But hey, anything can happen. 

Scott looked shocked and Jennifer looked scared but clenched her fist. I rolled my shoulder blades back getting ready for the attack maneuver. My father growled and came running at Jennifer. Stupid Derek shifted and ran at my father. Damn it Derek! "No!" I screamed, twisting Jennifer's wrist and then twisting her arm over my so I could slide out of her grasp. She grabbed the ends of my hair in an attempt to pull me back. Derek pawed at Deucalion, who caught his wrist and grabbed his other one, forcing his arms down. Dad chuckled sickly. I called to my father, "Dad, no! He's important! I need him! He's a part of the court! You can’t kill him!" Jennifer wrapped an arm around my neck again and hissed at me to shut up. 

My father's eyes flickered to me before Jennifer pinched a nerve in my neck, causing me to fall to my knees. Jennifer stepped up to my father and tried to use her 'power' to knock him down. Of course, him being a demon wolf, it had no effect. He simply stared at her as she tried to figure out what happened. His eyes flashed to me before he picked both of them up by their necks and lifted them off their feet. This gave Scott a chance to scurry over to me and pull me away. I could see that dad's grip on Derek's neck was weaker than the one on Jennifer's but because Derek was a beta again, he couldn't struggle out. I suddenly felt like a weight had dropped onto my shoulders. I yelped, clutching my chest and murmuring, "Isaac..." 

Dad threw them both down, Derek landed on his feet making an attempt to hit Deucalion again. Dad grabbed his arm and sent him flying with a shove to the chest. Stand down, Derek... my wolf hissed when I locked eyes with him. Jennifer went running for dad and he backhanded her. She went sailing to the ground. Derek spit up blood and struggled to get up, watching as dad grabbed Jennifer by her hair and dragged her over in front of Scott. He forced her to her knees. "Kill her," He ordered Scott, "Do it," Scott stared at a panting Jennifer. Dad grew impatient and roared, trying to intimidate Scott. Scott fell to his hands and knees from the force of it. I flinched; it didn't affect me as much. Scott shifted and looked up, "Now kill her." My father demanded, "Your parents are dying. That storm you hear, she burying them alive. It's her connection to the telluric currents. Kill her, and it ends."

"It won’t end. Not with me. He'll have you kill everyone you love. It's what he does," Jennifer objected. 

"They're dying, Scott. Your mother and the parents of your best friends. Kill her now and its over," My father tempted, "Become the Alpha you’re meant to be. Become a killer."

"They're not dead yet," Scott denied. 

"And who’s going to save them, your friends?" Dad chuckled.

Scott stood up, his eyes glowing yellow, "My pack." I felt more pressure on my shoulders and a single bead of sweat drip down my face; Isaac was struggling. 

My father snarled, moving over to Scott quick as lightning, "Maybe you just need a little guidance," He gripped Scott's wrist, aiming his claws at Jennifer who had fallen on her side. 

"I forgot to tell you something. Someone that Gerard told me," Dad stopped, "Deucalion... isn't always blind," He reached into his pocket and threw down some sparkers. I quickly covered my eyes while Deucalion, Derek, and Scott were all momentarily blinded. 

I gasped as the bones in my back broke. My shoulder blades pushed together and the bones in my fingers contracted. The tips of my hair turned white and before I knew it, I was my huge white wolf. Derek and Scott examined their hands to find no claws. "The eclipse," Dad muttered worriedly, "It's started." We all looked down to see Jennifer had gone missing. 

"Oh, no," Scott muttered, looking out the door. I brushed against my father's side and he gripped my scruff fearfully. My shoulders hunched as I felt an intense pressure on them; whatever Isaac was trying to hold up, he couldn't do it anymore. Suddenly, it stopped. 

I saw a figure walking towards the distillery. I barked at Derek and he hid behind some crates. My father crouched down next to me, having an arm slung around my shoulders. "I love you, Aluna," He kissed my head and I whimpered, nuzzling him. Thunder and lightning sounded as the evil, slashed faced, maniacal bitch entered the building. She screeched, throwing Scott through the air. She moved quickly to my father and separated us. I barked and snarled, tensing my muscle's as I was about to lunge. When I did, she pushed against my chest, sending me flying through the high window of the distillery. 

 

My head lolled around as I tried to regain my bearings. My vision was blurry and my ears were ringing. My white pelt was dotted in red as glass protruded from my shoulder, back, and flank. Suddenly, I heard my father screaming. I struggled to get up. Why did her power work on me? I need to protect my father! Everything happens for a reason... My wolf whispered. I got up shakily on my feet as the screaming continued, but once I took a step, I fell again, yelping. My hip feels out of place. The screaming stopped and I called out to my father. He didn't reply but I could hear his heartbeat. He was still breathing. He's still alive. 

He started hyperventilating as I heard the Darach speak. I whimpered, grabbing a piece of glass in my paw with my teeth. I yelped as I ripped it out. I moved my back leg until I heard the click and snap of my hip being back in place. I cried out and waited a minute for it to heal enough for me to walk. I struggled to get up again, limping my way back into the building. I saw Derek holding a normal looking Jennifer in his arms, "Then you do it. Kill him." She spoke.

"No," Derek replied. 

"What?" She sounded astonished. 

He passed a glance at me as I stood in the doorway, favoring my bleeding paw and staring at him with my head tilted. "Like my mother used to say, I'm a predator. I don't have to be a killer," I yipped happily to him and he sent me a smile before gripping Jennifer's neck, "Let them go," He said to her. She growled pushing him down and slapping him repeatedly. I made a move toward him but stumbled down again, yipping to him. I've hit him harder. He'll live. 

I watched as she bent down, "Derek..." She shook her head at him, her face slowly contorting in anger. I tried to make my way over to my father. I saw the puddle of blood around his head and whimpered to him. She turned away from Derek and he stood up. He went to grab her but she grabbed him, pushing him against a wall and slamming his back into it harshly. She lifted him off the ground and he squeezed his eyes closed. Suddenly his eyes glowed blue and his hair protruded while mine receded. Shit! No clothes! No clothes! Being as weak as I was, I couldn't stay in my wolf form of my own accord. 

"Your 15 minutes are up," He told her, pushing her away from him and to the floor. 

"My jacket," My father murmured to me and I hurriedly limped over to where his jacket lay. Scott got up and ran at Jennifer but she threw up a circle of mountain ash as Morrell did and he stopped short. 

"Like I told you, Derek, either you or the parents. Well, I guess I'll just have to take them now," She turned to Scott, "In a few minutes, they'll be dead, and I won’t need a lunar eclipse, even to kill a demon and a ghost wolf." I slipped on my father's jacket and scurried back to him. He was still panting and lying there. When I shifted back, the glass came out and everything was healing thankfully, but my hip still hurt like a bitch. I looked up at Jennifer and growled lowly, prepared to protect my father at all costs. He may not have been the best dad but I still love him and I know he loves me. Everyone suddenly looked to Scott who had braced his hands against the mountain ash barrier. "You've tried this before, Scott. I don't remember you having much success." She said.

He pushed harder against the barrier, causing it to glow purple. His eyes began to glow yellow as he kept pushing. One hand was almost breaking the barrier. Even my father found the strength to watch the scene unfolding before him. I looked down at him and gasped when I saw his green eyes staring back at me. He could see again! 

Scott's eyes melted into a bright red as he got one foot over the barrier, causing Jennifer to become increasingly worried. Jennifer jumped back at bit and Derek looked surprised as all get out which probably mirrored my expression. Scott got a second foot over the barrier and broke it, sending Jennifer to the ground, "How did you do that?" She asked him fearfully trying to crawl away from him. 

"I'm an Alpha now," He replied. Dad looked increasingly more interested as he gripped my knee, trying to sit himself up. "Whatever you're doing to cause this storm, make it stop," I helped Dad struggle to his feet and Derek passed a glance at us. "Or I'll kill you myself," Scott threatened, "I don't care what it does to the color of my eyes. 

Dad stretched his back and arms, "It won’t change the color of mine," Dad said, "So allow me," He charged for Jennifer, slashing her throat. She changed back into the slash faced monster before falling to the ground. Derek, Scott and I all shared pitying looks. I didn't feel bad but killing her certainly didn't excite me. I live by my mother's rule. I don't like to kill. 

Suddenly, I gasped shakily, clutching my chest and breathing heavily. Strength poured into me and my eyes watered, "It worked," I murmured, "They're alive!" Derek and Deucalion looked at me strangely while Scott pulled out his phone to make a call. 

"Hey, are you okay?" He asked. Stilinski I'm betting. "Sort of," Scott answered him and looked at Derek. He slightly chuckled at whatever Stiles said, "Yeah of course," He said before exchanging a goodbye and hanging up. He stepped up next to Derek and faced Dad and I. 

"My mother told me you were a man of vision once. We're letting you go," He looked at Scott briefly, "Because we hope you can be that man again."

"But if you're not," Scott threatened, "Then having your eyesight back won’t matter, because you'll never see us coming," They turned and walked out My father furrowed his brow a bit before looking to me, I was staring longingly after Scott and Derek. 

"Go," Dad said unexpectedly.

"W-what?" I asked, "Don't you want me to stay with you?"

"There are a lot of things in life I want, Aluna. Your happiness is one of them. If you stay with me you don't get to be with your mate, or your guardians. You're already quite attached to all of them. Don't make the same mistakes I did; go out and make your own. Become who you were meant to be." 

"But..." He came up to me and pushed a strand of hair behind my ear. 

"I never realized just how beautiful you were. Just like your mother. You look so much like her," He looked up at the sky for a moment before looking back at me, "She would be so proud..." My eyes watered and a tear slipped down my cheek. He wiped it away with his thumb, "Don't cry, baby girl. I want you to be happy and if going with them is what's going to make you happy then I need you to go," I nodded, "And I will always be there when you need me. I promise I won’t leave you alone," I nodded again and another tear slipped down my cheek. He stroked my cheek, smiling and kissing my forehead, "I love you, Aluna. Don't ever forget that. I am your father and I love you," I sniffled and gasped. He pressed his forehead to mine and we closed our eyes, fingers of both hands intertwined, "I ascend you... Alpha," I gasped as my eyes burned for a second. He tilted my chin up and smiled sadly, "You belong as Alpha. Of any pack. Don't ever let anyone take that away from you."

I smiled back at him, "I won’t. Thank you, daddy," I wrapped my arms around his neck, burying my face into his collarbone. He was a little slow to respond, probably in shock seeing as I had never called him daddy before. I pulled away and let my fingers slip from him, "I love you, daddy," I say softly.

"I love you too, baby girl," He replied, voice cracking. I grinned, giving him one last wave and he smiled. I swear I saw a tear slip out of his eye. I took off running, trying to catch up with Derek and Scott. I looked back and saw Dad talking to the sky, "You wanted her to be free, Talia. I'm sorry I didn't see it earlier..." I trained my ears to hear him speak. 

I smiled and laughed, feeling the breeze in my hair. It wasn't long before I Derek and Scott, "Hey guys! Wait up!" I called. They looked back, seeming surprised to see me. 

"What are you doing here, little girl?" Derek wrapped an arm around my shoulders in a brotherly way. I blinked and showed off my shining red eyes, "Where did you get those?" He asked, shocked. Scott mirrored his expression.

"Daddy ascended me. I'm a free bird now!" I yelled as I skipped, opening my and looking at the sky. A breeze blew my hair and I closed my eyes, breathing in deeply. Something wet hit my cheek. I opened my eyes and felt it. It felt like a raindrop, but there wasn't a cloud in sight. Then I smiled, "Love you too, Mom," I ran up behind Derek and Scott, putting an arm around each of their high shoulders thanking god dad's jacket was long. 

"Ascended? Did he give you his Alpha power?" Scott questioned. 

I shook my head, "Ascending simply gives me my Alpha title. I've had it all along but as a purebred Alpha either both of your parents have to be dead or they have to ascend you. Dad's still an Alpha," They both nodded, taking it all in," So, where to now, my muchacho's?"

Derek eyed me, "Well, first of all, you need pants," I scowled at him. 

"We have to get everyone out of the cellar first," Scott said. 

"Ah yes, the lovely root cellar. Umm, does anyone remember how to get there?" I asked. 

"I know where it is," Scott replied. 

"Oh good. ’Cause mama erased my memory of it, how 'bout you bro?" 

Derek nodded in agreement, "Yup," He popped on the 'p'. 

Scott rolled his eyes, "It's so weird that you two are actually related."

Derek and I blushed, "Yeah, we know," We replied in unison. Scott laughed and we grinned at each other. 

"Hey guys," I said and they looked at me, "It's finally over, isn't it?"

Derek hugged me close to him, "Yeah. It is, princess."

"That's Queen to you, peasant," I corrected him, poking him in the chest. He rolled his eyes. 

"Aye, aye your majesty."

I wrinkled my nose, "I'm not a queen of pirates, what the hell are you talking about?" The two laughed and I grinned. Yeah, it's good to be the queen. 

 

We soon arrived at the root cellar and helped everyone out. Isaac emerged last, "Luna..." He murmured quietly when he saw me. I grinned, running up to him and jumping into his big, strong arms. He gave me a panda kiss and stared into my eyes, "God I've missed you."

I giggled, "I've missed you too, Ike." He grinned at his nickname and swung me around before planting a passionate kiss on my lips. This is where I'm meant to be. This is where I belong. I'm sure of it.


	31. .30

I lay back against Isaac who kissed my head. We sat on a picnic blanket on our favorite hill that overlooks Beacon Hills. Dawn was just breaking over the sleepy little town. We had been here since two in the morning, just enjoying the night and each other's company. The small radio played a soft tune and no words were spoken between Isaac and me. We finally had some time to ourselves. It was finally all over. 

Danny and Ethan were back at the penthouse asleep and Aiden had stayed over Lydia's. Isaac had decided that we needed some nature time. So at two a.m. we packed our picnic box and came up here to hang out. Of course it was seriously cold at two a.m. so I decided to take advantage of the sweater weather. Isaac twisted his fingers in my silky black hair. I titled my head back to look up at him and he smiled, giving me a peck on the lips. 

I sighed and stared out at the skyline, "What do we do now?"

He shrugged, "I don't know wait for another imminent threat that can potentially kill us all," he replied and I busted out laughing.

"Yes that does seem to be the only thing we do nowadays," I grinned up at him. He grinned back, chuckling a bit to himself. 

"Should we get back?" Isaac asked, "I mean Ethan did want to start packing Deucalion and Kali's stuff up today..." 

I whined and squirmed in his arms, turning to straddle his hips. I sexily crawled up on his chest and lay down again. "They can wait," I mumbled, breathing in his cinnamon scent. 

He rolled his eyes with a smile. "I'm sure Ethan will be so pleased," He joked. He and Ethan had grown really close lately. Aiden could take it or leave it but he and Ethan recognize a common goal and they've decided to achieve it together; to protect me. Not that I need protecting. Deaton is teaching me the extent of my powers both as the White Queen and as a Ghost. He says I'm a quick learner. I told him I get it from my uncle and that seemed to set him back a bit. He tried to fake a smile but I could see that my statement had creased worry in his brow. I'm not sure why. 

"Wanna go for a run?" I smiled, my wolf howling inside me, causing my canines to stand out more. He smirked too, signaling a yes. My eyes flashed red and I threw my head back, popping my shoulders forward. My bones shifted and popped, cracking every now and then until finally my hair grew out and I became my beautiful white wolf. 

Isaac snuffed me and I snuffed back. Being linked together by the Triskelion had its advantages. Both he and Ethan could turn into wolves. Your coat matches your personality. Mine being white because I am a Ghost and the White Queen. Isaac is a simple grey wolf because he is quiet and watchful. Ethan has a gleaming bright golden coat because he is a warrior. Plus he thinks he's all that and a box of chocolates sometimes. 

Isaac yipped to me and I nudged him, telling him to lead. He tilted his head at me as if asking where to go. I snuffed up at the sky my lips forming a wolfy smile. The sky's the limit. He yipped again like a puppy and I barked. We set off, our ruby and golden eyes illuminating what little darkness there was left. 

This was always the best part. The running. The freedom you feel when the wind blows through your coat. The fresh, crisp air that makes its way into your lungs. It makes me feel... alive. It makes me feel young, free, and alive. Like I'm invincible to the world. Like it’s just me, Isaac, and the forest around us. And that's how I like it. 

 

As I taped yet another box, I groaned in frustration plopping backwards on my butt. Isaac chuckled, "What are you doing?"

"Drowning," I replied simply, "I'm drowning in the sheer amount of shit my father had." Isaac laughed at this coming over and sitting behind me, pulling me into his lap. 

"He must've come back though," Ethan pointed out stacking a box on top of the one I taped, "A lot of it's gone."

Well still. So much shit and not enough people to pack it." Isaac, Ethan, Aiden and I had decided to keep the penthouse to live in, seeing as we all plan on staying in Beacon Hill's. 

"Hey, Eth? Where do you want the box of books?" Danny called.

"Um, in the living room, babe." 

I giggled and Ethan looked at me funny, "You guys are so cute!" Ethan rolled his eyes, walking out of the office. 

Isaac pushed himself off the ground and holding out his hand to me. I took it and he pulled me to my feet with ease. I swayed on my feet and had to hold my head as a dizzy spell swept over me. "Are you okay?" Isaac became panicked. 

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine. Just a little dizzy is all..." I replied letting him hold me up for a second.

"You're probably dehydrated," he grumbled dragging me towards the kitchen. I saw Danny and Ethan kiss quickly before Ethan went to bring another box to our stack. 

"Thank you so much for helping Danny. You didn't have to," I thanked him as Isaac placed a water bottle in front of me. 

"It's not a big deal. I had nothing better to do with my day," he chuckled. 

"Unless we were all alone…" Ethan teased and Danny blushed. Ethan slid his arm around Danny's waist and kissed his cheek. It was a picture perfect moment.

Isaac nudged me and I rolled my eyes, gulping down some water. Danny pushed away Ethan who was nipping his neck and turned to me. "Oh, Luna. I found a box of letters and stuff. I didn't know what you wanted me to do with them."

"Okay, I'll look at them real quick," I smiled at him and he motioned to living room.  
"They're on the coffee table," he finished his sentence in a moan as Ethan found his sweet spot. I giggled at Danny's expression. He looked like someone had pulled down his pants. 

Isaac slid his hand into mine and we walked into the living room. I sat down and Isaac retrieved the box. Most of the letters were bills and other things of that nature. In the mixture of those was section of papyrus type envelopes that had Deucalion written in a fancy cursive on the back. Out of curiosity, I opened one up. The same beautiful scripture was strewn across the page. I read it to myself. 

Dear brother,

I'm afraid he's moved us again. He never tells me where anymore. I think he suspects I'm in contact with you, but he suspects so many things nowadays I can't quite tell if he's ever in his right mind. 

The kids are fine. For now at least. He hit my son the day before last. I scolded him for it and put it simply, we had a bit of a 'dog fight.'

Of course, you're witty little sister beat his ass. Or at least I would've had his beta not intervened. You know how I hate unfair play.

Your daughter becomes your clone more and more every day. My niece has quite the quick wit and sharp tongue. It gets her into trouble quite often, but not to worry, I always defend her. 

Sometimes I wish my message could reach you sooner, that way the four of us can be freed from our hell. The older he gets the more he looks like his father. I'm deathly afraid of the day Damien finds out the truth. 

Oh, my dear brother, life is so dreary without you. I realized I made a mistake, but he was my mate. You understand how hard it is to find your mate. You also know that you cannot choose who you love, the universe chooses for you. He was good to me. I really loved him brother. I feel my life, or what's left of it, slowly slipping away from me. I miss him with all my heart. My son is the only thing that keeps me alive now, and he's the only thing I have left if him aside from the locket. It's morose, I know, but I do hope he's still alive. I haven't heard much about him lately which means he can't be doing anything too bad. I guess that's a good thing. 

These letters keep me sane, brother. I'm not quite sure how much longer I can put up this front. I will always try though. For my niece and my son. That's what you want, isn't it?

I wish you the best of luck in your journeys and pray you find us soon.

With love always,  
Anastasiya

The paper fell from my hands and I let out a small gasp. Isaac mirrored my expression, having read over my shoulder. "Oh my god," I murmured in shock, "She knew everything. She had been writing to him!" 

Isaac leant his elbows on his knees, "That's…" He couldn't even finish. I went back through the box, noticing it was organized by date. I found the very last papyrus scroll and pulled it out, ripping open the resealed envelope. The script was scribbled as if rushed and red blotches dotted the page.

My brother dearest, I'm afraid this may be my last letter to you. The day has come. The truth has been revealed. Damien knows your nephew is not his. Aluna stood up to him. She continues to protect him, just as you predicted. The bond of kin will forever stand. Damien has ordered my execution which Sloan is all too pleased to carry out. I just hope he doesn't force Aluna to watch. 

I'm so sorry brother. I should've listened to you. Please find our children and protect them. Your daughter needs you and if it's possible to return my son to his father, it would make me so happy, wherever I may be. I believe he is still in Beacon Hills, but you probably already knew that. I love you Duke, please take care of our children 

I squeezed my eyes closed but a tear slipped down my cheek. By the mark of how the pen ripped across her last word I could tell she has been dragged away. That and the paper bore marks of being dragged across stones. I sniffled, opening my eyes. Isaac gently pried the paper from my hand, flipping it over and running his finger and black marks on the back.

"She was dragged," I said, putting my finger over one of the red blotches. I brought my finger to my lips, instantly regretting it when my stomach lurched. "It's her blood," I choked tears running over my cheeks. 

Isaac hugged me as I sobbed, "Oh, Luna…"

"He had these! All this time, he knew! And he never told me!" I cried. Isaac shushed me and pulled me into his lap. I gripped his shirt, burying my face in it as he rocked me. Ethan walked in and surprised yet concerned look crossed his face. Before he had a chance to speak Isaac's gaze flickered to the letter. Ethan picked it up and read it. He didn't say a word; just sat next to me on the couch and hugged me as well. "He knew, Eth. She told him!" I sobbed. He kissed my shoulder. We all sat in that position for at least an hour. I wondered when Danny had left.

Once I'd calmed down and stop sobbing, Ethan cleared coffee table and laid out the two letters. "Is anyone else confused?" He asked.

"I am," Isaac answered, "Who is Anastasiya?"

"My aunt," I answered, "She basically raised me for a good part of my life."

"What I was wondering is who the boy she keeps talking about is?" Ethan pondered. 

I looked back over the letters, "Well her only son is my cousin, Ian, but… She mentioned that he's not Damien's…"

"It said he looked more like his father… Maybe she had an affair and Ian is someone else's," Ethan suggested.

"But who's?" I asked. 

Isaac picked up the second letter, picking out one line, "Her mate I'm guessing?" Isaac looked over the first letter.

Ethan took the second letter from Isaac, "It says her mate is or was in Beacon Hills; who could that be?"

I shook my head, "I don't know," I said. I tried to think back on my aunt, where I may have seen her face in town. Nothing came to me.

Isaac dug through the box a bit more, finding a notepad that my father had written on. One of his Triskele's had been drawn. My name was written above the top one, Ethan's was written on the right and Isaac's name was written on the right. I remembered Deaton's tale. In the Triskelion were the Queen, Warrior and Mate. I know who all those people are now. My father's script was similar to my aunt's neat and precise. She made a lot more swirls than him though. Isaac flipped it over. I took it from him studying the list of people. "He had it all figured out..." I scoffed in shock. 

"Whoa..." Isaac breathed and Ethan looked at it too. 

His jaw dropped, "He knew..."

I snorted, "What doesn't he know?"

White Queen: Aluna  
Warriors: Ethan & Aiden  
Mate: Isaac  
Savior: Derek??  
Fighter: ???  
Adversary: ??? 

"So he doesn't know who the fighter and adversary are?" Isaac concluded.  
"Apparently not," I grumbled, "Which sucks because I would quite like to know who my damn enemy is."

"Bingo," Ethan checked his watch, "Look, we'll figure this out later. We better leave now if you want to see Derek off." I nodded and Isaac pulled me up.

We walked out the door and I grabbed my keys, "Do you want to ride with us, Ethan?" I asked him but he shook his head.

"Nah, I'm good on my bike," he winked at me. I smiled and rolled my eyes. The elevator dinged as we reach the garage level. I walked over to my parking space which was right next to Ethan and Aiden's. I licked my lip and ran my hand over the hood of my beautiful '68 dark red Shelby Mustang. It was my inheritance from my father. I unlocked the door and Isaac slipped into the passenger side.

I started the engine and let it purr for a minute before putting the car in gear with the stick shift. Thank God I knew how to drive a standard. I followed Ethan to Derek's place where he and Cora were loading up their bags. We parked and got out. Derek looked at me for a moment and I bit my lip. I ran into his arms and he bear hugged me. "Why are you leaving?" I sniffled.

Derek pulled back a bit so I could look at him, "You know why. We've already had this conversation, Luna."

"I know," I sniffled, "but I'm still going to miss you."

"I know," he sighed, hugging me again, "but you have people who care about you. Isaac, Ethan, Aiden, even Peter."

"He's staying?" Derek nodded to me and I buried my face in his neck again. Derek squeezed me before letting go and nodding to Isaac. 

Isaac came up and hugged Derek as well, "See you on the other side, bud," Derek clapped him on the shoulder. Isaac nodded, biting back tears. He stepped back and wrapped his arms around my shoulders.

Cora hugged me and kissed my cheek, "See ya, sis," she winked at me and I smiled at her, letting her fingers slip from mine. We waved them off as they drove away. I leaned back against Isaac again and he kissed my head.

"Let's go home," Isaac said and I nodded. We got back in the car and Ethan told me he was going into town to get something. I replayed the memory of Derek driving away and something clicked in my head; a memory, long forgotten. Or rather, suppressed yet it still left me shocked.

"What are you doing?" I asked my brother. He grabbed my forearm and pulled me close to him on the ground in front of the window. He pulled back the drapes in the slightest, peeking out the window to see a pretty black sports car pull into the driveway. "Who's that?" I asked Derek.

He shook his head, "I don't know. Must be one of mom's friends. I mean damn, look at that Bugatti," he murmured in awe. I rolled my eyes; Boys and their toys. 

Suddenly, we both gasped as uncle Peter stepped out of the car with a short, skinny girl. "She's so pretty…" I marveled. She was gorgeous. She had long silky black hair and bright blue eyes. She held her head high much like mom did. Her pale face held so much wisdom.

"Woof," Derek drooled. I kicked him, "Ow! What was that for?" He hissed. 

"Don't be rude," I scolded.

He rolled his eyes, "God you sound like mom." 

"Thank you," I smiled gleefully.

"Yeah, wasn't a compliment," he muttered, standing up.

I followed, "What's that supposed to mean?" He stood frozen in his spot with his jaw slightly ajar. "What? Hello, earth to Derek?" He turned me around and I was slightly shocked too. The girl was linking arms with Uncle Peter, shaking my mother's hand and introducing herself. She looked even more beautiful up close. Almost like a goddess. "Whoa," I whispered.

"She's an alpha…" Derek mumbled almost inaudibly. My brow furrowed and I was about to ask what an Alpha wanted with Uncle Peter when mom spotted us and motioned for us to come closer. 

"Luna, Derek, this is your uncle's girlfriend. This is my son Derek and my daughter Luna," Mom introduced us to the strange woman.

As always when I met new people, my severe shyness caused me to hide behind Derek, only allowing part of my face to be seen. "Hi kids," the lady had a light accent. It almost sounded like a cross between Russian and British. Her teeth were perfectly straight and a pearly white color. She had a bright smile that infected everyone around her. "I'm Anastasiya, but please, call me Ana." She shook Derek's hand and peeked around his waist to smile at me. I slightly smiled back. Derek looked from his mother to his uncle.

Uncle Peter pulled the woman closer to him before pressing his lips to hers, "My beautiful mate…"


	32. Epilogue

Derek's POV...

So many thoughts ran through my head as Cora and I drove away from the small town that has been my home for so long. My life. I was ready to start anew. Thoughts of Luna dominated my mind. Her and Isaac. Soon enough he’d be my brother in law. I had come to terms with Luna being my real sister but I could never get over the fact that my mother had cheated on my father with that evil bastard.

Luna had a different idea of him than I did. I knew he was cold and cruel but Luna was convinced it was just as shell he had. She really thought of him as a good father. But then again she thought Peter was a saint which, all things considered, he clearly wasn’t. Yet she still completely believes in him.

My phone dinged and Cora answered it. “Hello?”

“Who is it?” I whispered to her. She held her finger up to me and her brow furrowed.

“Isa- Isaac! Slow down, what do you mean?” Cora froze when he answered. The phone fell from her hand and her eyes looked like a deer in headlights.

I picked up the phone but the line was dead. Damn it! “Cora, tell me what he said,” I commanded.

She opened her mouth to speak but the words I was looking for didn’t come out, “Derek, look out!” She pointed ahead of her and screamed. I looked ahead and swore, slamming my foot down on the brakes and swerved as to avoid the animal limping across. It was large like a bear but it moved like a dog.

The car came to a screeching halt and the animal disappeared into the woods. Cora and I panted for a minute, trying to pull ourselves together. Suddenly, she took off her seat belt and got out of the car. It took me a moment to process what she had done but when I did I unbuckled myself, cussing as I got out of the car as well.

“Where the hell are you going?” I shouted after her.

“It was limping! It couldn’t have gotten far!” She called. I growled; if she wasn’t my sister she would be so dead right now. I pushed through the brush after her calling out her name. She never answered. I pushed a branch aside and found my sister kneeling down beside the injured animal. She looked up at me. “He’s seriously hurt,” She spoke quietly, shifting her legs and placing his large head in her lap.

I bent down beside her and examined the creature. It was definitely a wolf. A large russet wolf that looked similar to Luna’s wolf form. I ran my hand over its blood matted coat and he stared at me with fearful eyes. His body shook and he whimpered when I moved his leg.

I sighed, folding my hands and deciphering what to do. Cora stroked his head humming softly. He seemed to calm down with her soothing touch. His breathing slowed and his eyes closed, "What do we do?" Cora asked me quietly.

I shook my head, looking back the way we came, "Stay here, I'm going to see what he was running from..." She nodded and I patted him once more before heading back on the trail we created.

I came up to the road and crossed it, trekking up the small hill on the other side of the road. It was steep. I wonder how he slid down it with a limp. I looked for visual clues as to where the wolf had slid. I saw broken branches and slick mud almost as if he hadn't slid but tumbled down. When I reached the top I could see the huge prints that could've only belonged to him.

As I examined and followed the prints I tried to stay completely human remembering what Argent said about tracking by print. The wolf's stride was short as if he had been running quickly instead of just running leisurely. His footing wasn't uneven so he didn't have a limp before he fell. I followed the trail all the way to -the one and only- Nemeton. 

A horrible smell saturated the air. I had to put my shirt over my nose just to bear it. As I walked around the Nemeton I found a gruesome sight. Jennifer lay dead with her throat slashed open. I sighed, crouching down and closing her eyes. I sniffed the air as best I could but failed to find the perpetrator as the stench of death poisoned the air. I looked at her wound more closely and raised my hand. My nails lined up perfectly with the slash marks. Clearly a wolf did this, but who? Deucalion maybe? It couldn't have been the little russet wolf, his paw was too small and he looked too scared and innocent to be a killer.

I sighed, deciding to let it go and headed back to Cora. She was singing quietly to the little russet wolf and his eyes were closed, muscles completely relaxed. She still cradled his head in her lap and slightly rocked. Then it hit me. The way Cora looked at him... They were mates. His eyes shot open when a twig snapped beneath my foot. He tensed as if ready to spring but then Cora shushed him and he relaxed, realizing it was me.

I crouched down next to them and stroked him again. His tail thumped once and I smiled. He looked up at me and I finally realized what a bright blue his eyes were; like mine. I sat back and Cora looked at me expectantly, "Well?" She prompted.

"I found Jennifer; dead. Slaughtered actually but I couldn't tell who did it but I'm fairly positive it wasn't him," I jerked my chin down at little Russ, "His tracks didn't go past the tree line and his paw is too small."

Cora looked relieved but sighed when she looked down at him, "I wish he could talk to us..." He cocked his head up at her and his tail thumped again. She smiled down at him and he whined looking up at her and licking her chin. She giggled and continued to pat him. I smiled a little and shook my head. Of all the strange ways to find your mate. Until Luna I didn't even know we could have 'mates'. Speaking of Luna, he looks a lot like a Ghost Wolf. My brow furrowed and I voiced my finding to Cora.

"He looks a lot like Luna's wolf doesn't he? Just russet," I said as we looked at him. Cora nodded her head in agreement. He huffed and looked up at us. He snuffed my hand and I patted him but he pulled away, rolling his shoulders back. He tried to stand up and I put my hand under his chest to help support his weight. His body shook and his fur receded and his bones rearranged themselves. Soon, in the place of the little russet wolf was a young boy no older than 16.

Cora gasped and he fell to the ground. I caught him right before he hit his head, already sliding off my jacket to cover him. He was about Cora's height with nothing but skin and bones. His whole body shook and when Cora got over her shock she engulfed him in her arms. "I didn't mean literally!" She laughed and rubbed his arms. He shrugged and attempted to smile at her. I saw it in both of their eyes. It was the same thing that was always present in Luna and Isaac's eyes. The simple possessive look that said 'Mine'

"What's your name buddy?" I asked him although things were clicking in my head and I was sure I knew him.

His eyes widened and he hesitated, "I-Ian." Ian...Ian...Ian. Why did that ring a bell in my head?

"Ian, I followed your trail and I came across a woman who had been killed. Do you know anything about that?" I asked.

"Oh sure Derek, interrogate him why don't you," Cora sassed, holding on rather tightly to the kid.

"I-its o-okay," He stuttered. He had a slight accent that I couldn't place. It almost sounded like a cross between British and Russian. "I saw a woman. S-she was crawling toward that s-stump, t-talking to it. A-a man c-came. He-he s-spoke to her. T-then he, he, he," Ian choked.

"He what, Ian?"

"He, he s-slashed her t-throat. I- I was s-sacred. He-he saw m-me. He-he s-started walking t-toward m-me. I- I ran. Was t-too s-scared."

"How did you get hurt?" Cora asked softly, trying to comfort him.

He looked at her and she stroked his cheek, brushing some hair away from it. He attempted to smile at her when she smiled softly at him. Just the simple touch slowed his heart beat and I became worried for Cora. If she was as dependent on him as he was on her then we might have a problem brewing. He breathed in deeply and spoke, "When I was running away. I tripped. I rolled down a hill and fell into the road." She never broke eye contact with him and he didn't stutter.

"Where I almost hit you," I finished with a grumble. He whimpered and suddenly something struck me. "How can you turn into a big wolf like that?"

He shrugged, looking back at me, "Mama said I was special. A rare kind of werewolf. Mama said that we were the last three. The last three of a dying race. Me, Mama, and my sister."

My brow furrowed, "What's your sister's name?"

"Well she's actually my cousin but Mama raised her as her own. Her name is Aluna. Mama said we'd do great things together one day." My breath caught in my throat and finally all the pieces fell into place. I am The Saviour and he is The Fighter. The legend did say that the Fighter was related to the Queen. And the man that killed Jennifer was the Adversary.

"Do you know who the man was, Ian?" I pressed. He gulped and nodded hesitantly.

"Who?" Cora asked. He looked at her with hurt in his eyes. Pain even. Then I realized where I had seen those eyes before. They weren't like mine. They were darker; just like another Hale... I looked into Ian's eyes and I knew. I finally understood everything.

I closed my eyes before asking him one more question. I already knew the answer but I wanted to hear him say it, "Who is your mother, Ian?"

He gulped, "My mother's name was Anastasiya. Anastasiya Zakhaev."

Cora gasped, "Wait, Isaac told me that Anastasiya was Peter's mate!"

"Peter killed Jennifer. Peter is The Adversary..." I mused.

"And my father," Ian whined.

"What?" Cora tried to process everything but it was overwhelming her. 

He let out a shaky breath. I closed my eyes and waited for it. The words that would tie everything up in nice neat knot. That words that would be our curse. The words that are about to end the world for Cora... "My name is Ian," He explained.  
"Ian Hale."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is the end! Hope you enjoyed. There will not be a sequel due to the fact I wrote this a long time ago. Comments are always welcome.


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